ITR filing basics · Tax Year 2025-26
Documents you need to file your ITR
Most of what you need to file an income tax return is already with the Income Tax Department. Here is the short list of documents to keep ready, by type of income, and what you can skip.
On this page
To file an ITR you need your PAN, the mobile number linked to your Aadhaar (for the OTP), your bank account details, and your income papers: Form 16 if you are salaried, and certificates or statements for interest, rent, shares or business. Your AIS and Form 26AS (or Form 168) show what the department already holds, so you rarely start from nothing.
The rules for the tax year 2025-26 are signed off in TaxCare. Rules for the tax year 2026-27 are provisional and carry forward the 2025-26 values.
The basics everyone needs
Document | Why you need it |
|---|---|
PAN | Your return is filed against it |
Aadhaar-linked mobile number | The OTP for e-verification goes here |
Bank account number and IFSC | Where a refund is paid |
Previous return (if any) | Regime, bank and other particulars repeat from year to year |
Keep the bank account in your own name and active. A refund goes to the account named in the return.
The statements the department already has
You can download these from the Income Tax portal, and TaxCare fetches them for you after an OTP.
- AIS (Annual Information Statement): everything reported against your PAN, such as salary, interest, dividends and share sales.
- TIS (Taxpayer Information Summary): a category-wise summary of the AIS, which the department uses to pre-fill the return.
- Form 26AS for tax years up to 2025-26, or Form 168 from 2026-27: the tax credit (TDS, TCS, advance tax and self-assessment tax) against your PAN.
Your tax credit comes from Form 26AS or Form 168 only. So check these before you rely on your Form 16 figures. See our guide on Form 26AS vs Form 168.
Documents by type of income
Salary or pension
- Form 16 from each employer you had in the year. If you changed jobs, you will have more than one. See changed jobs this year.
- Rent receipts and your landlord's details if you claim HRA.
- Pension statements, if you are a pensioner.
TaxCare reads the salary details the department already holds. The Form 16 is asked for only when the salary split is missing. TaxCare can read a Form 16 in PDF form, but not a scan or a photo.
Interest and dividends
- Bank and post office interest certificates, or the interest shown in the AIS.
- Fixed deposit interest statements.
- Dividend statements from companies or mutual funds.
House property
- Rent received and municipal tax paid, if the house is let out.
- Home loan interest certificate from your lender. The interest on a self-occupied house is capped at ₹2,00,000 a year in the old regime.
Capital gains
- Broker's profit and loss or capital gains statement for shares and mutual funds. TaxCare can read statements from common brokers.
- Purchase and sale deeds for property, with stamp duty value, if you sold property.
- Dates and cost for each asset sold. See tax on selling shares.
Business or profession
- Bank statements and invoices for the year.
- Books of account and balance sheet, if you keep them.
- GST returns, if registered. See how to file ITR for consultants.
Proofs for deductions (old regime)
If you plan to claim deductions, keep the proof:
- Life insurance, PPF, ELSS or tax-saver FD receipts for section 80C.
- Health insurance premium receipts for section 80D.
- NPS contribution statement with your PRAN.
- Education loan interest certificate (80E).
- Donation receipts with the charity's details (80G).
The new regime allows none of these deductions, so you do not need these proofs if you choose it. See all income tax deductions in one place.
Do you upload these documents?
No. Return forms are attachment-less: you do not attach proofs such as investment receipts or TDS certificates. You keep them and produce them if the department asks, for example during an assessment or inquiry. (Taxpayers who must furnish an audit report file it separately, electronically.)
Pre-filing checklist
- PAN, Aadhaar and mobile number are linked and working.
- Download or fetch AIS and Form 26AS or Form 168.
- Collect Form 16 and bank interest certificates.
- List deductions with their proofs.
- Collect the capital gains statement, if you traded.
- Keep your bank details handy.
How TaxCare helps
TaxCare fetches your AIS, TIS and Form 26AS or Form 168 from the Income Tax portal once you confirm with an OTP. It tells you exactly which gaps remain, so you add only what is missing. If you are unsure which documents apply to you, a Tax Expert can help. You can also see the pricing and the income tax calculator.
This guide gives general information and is not professional tax advice.
Ready to file your ITR?
TaxCare fetches your AIS and TDS from the Income Tax portal, checks every figure and files the return that saves you the most. 25% off your first filing.