Waiting for Form 16? Here’s when employers may issue it for AY 2026-27 ITR filing

Form 16 is a key document that salaried employees receive from their employers and it plays a crucial role in filing income tax return (ITR). While it is not mandatory to use Form 16 for filing ITR, it certainly makes things easier. You can still file your return without it, but it might take a little longer.

Employers are required to issue Form 16 to their salaried employees on or before June 15th of the assessment year for which the income tax return is being filed. For example, for FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27), Form 16 should be issued by June 15, 2026.

For Assessment Year 2026-2027 (which is different from Tax Year 2026-2027), students, pensioners, salaried, and others who don't need to undergo a tax audit must file their ITR by July 31, 2026. For the Tax Year 2026-2027, the deadline is July 31, 2027.

What should you do if your employer hasn't given or delayed giving Form 16?

Chartered Accountant Abhishek Soni, co-founder, Tax2Win says that if you have not received your Form 16 for the Tax Deducted at Source yet, there's no need to panic. While Form 16 does simplify the process of filing ITR, you can still file your ITR without it. You can collect the necessary information from the salary slips, Form 26AS, AIS, or bank statements.

Soni outlines a few reasons why you might not have received your Form 16:

• If no TDS was deducted: If your income is not taxable and no TDS was deducted by the employer, then it is not mandatory to issue Form 16 - Part A. However, if you want a Form 16, you can ask your employer to issue it.
• If TDS was not deposited: If the employer deducts TDS but fails to deposit it with the government, he might not provide you with a Form 16. In such a case, you might have to pay tax to the government yourself and claim it from your employer later. You can also write to the assessing officer about this, who might take appropriate action against the employer.

Without Form 16 also you can file ITR

Soni says that if you have Form 16, you should definitely upload and file via it, However, If you do not have Form 16, you can still file your income tax return (ITR) by following these steps:

• Gather salary slips: Collect all your salary slips or payslips for the financial year for which you are filing the income tax return. These payslips should contain salary details, allowances, deductions, and any other income components.
• Calculate taxable income: Consolidate information from your salary slips to determine your taxable income. Consider all components of your salary, such as basic salary, allowances, perquisites, and bonuses. Subtract any applicable allowances such as house rent allowance (HRA), standard deduction, professional tax, etc. This will give you your taxable income.
• Refer to bank statements: Review them to identify income sources other than your salary. This could include interest income, dividends, or any other form of income. Include these amounts in your taxable income calculation.
• Verify Form 26AS: Access your Form 26AS through the Income Tax Department website. Form 26AS is a consolidated statement of all the taxes deducted and deposited against your PAN. Verify that the TDS details mentioned in Form 26AS match your calculated income details. If there are any discrepancies, contact the deductor (the employer or the bank) to rectify them.