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Didn’t get your Form 16? Worry not, you can still file your tax returns

Didn’t get your Form 16? Worry not, you can still file your tax returns

The first step to filing tax returns for a salaried individual is to obtain your Form 16 from your employer. Form 16 is a TDS Certificate that outlines your taxable income and TDS. It is the employer’s responsibility to provide Form 16 to all employees. In the unlikely event that your employer fails to provide you with Form 16,  you can still e-File your return yourself. 

“When an employer deducts TDS on salaries – the Income Tax lays down that TDS certificate must be issued by the employer, once in a year, on or before 15 June of the financial year immediately following the financial year in which tax is deducted,” said ClearTax 


However, there are several reasons why an employee might not receive this form. Ankit Jain, Partner, Ved Jain & Associates explains why this might occur:


1. No TDS Deducted: If an employee’s total income in the financial year is below the taxable limit, the employer may not have deducted any TDS, thus relieving them of the obligation to issue Form 16.


2. Employer Negligence or Delay: Administrative reasons or employer negligence may delay Form 16 issuance. If the employee is expecting Form 16 but hasn’t received it, they should contact their employer’s HR or payroll department.

3. Change in Employment: When an employee changes jobs within a financial year and the income from the previous employer was below the taxable limit, the previous employer may not issue Form 16. In such cases, it’s critical to compile income from all sources when filing the income tax return.

Also Read: Filing tax returns for the first time? Make sure you read these handy tips

You have to file tax return even without Form 16: Here are the alternatives
Even without Form 16, an individual is obligated to file an income tax return if their income exceeds the tax-free limit.


“Even though the responsibility for deducting tax on salaries and providing a TDS Certificate fall squarely on the employer, the employees are required to file income tax returns and pay taxes, if applicable. The employee is required to calculate tax and file returns irrespective of the employer issuing a Form 16. The employees can refer and rely upon Form 26AS to calculate the TDS deducted from their incomes in a financial year,” said Vipul Jai, Partner, PSL Advocates and Solicitors.

Here are other  alternatives to compile the necessary information for filing tax returns:

1. Salary Slips: Salary slips can provide income details. Total the salary for each month of the financial year, accounting for any variable components like incentives or bonuses. Deduct any exemptions such as HRA, LTA, etc., to determine the taxable salary income, said Ved. 

To claim the HRA deduction, you must submit your rent receipts to your payroll department in advance. If you haven’t submitted the receipts to your employer, you can always claim it while filing.


2. Bank Statements: Bank statements can offer insights into income if the salary is credited to a bank account. They can also help identify any other taxable income, like interest on savings account balances.


3. Form 26AS: This form is crucial for filing tax returns. It’s a consolidated annual tax statement containing information about the tax deducted at source, tax collected at source, and tax paid other than TDS or TCS. It can be downloaded from the income tax department’s e-filing website.


4. Investment Proofs: Keep records of all tax-saving investments like PPF, NSC, Life insurance, ELSS, etc., to claim deductions under sections like 80C, 80D, etc. Some common deductions include Section 80C (for investments in tax-saving instruments like Provident Fund or Life Insurance Premiums), Section 80D (for health insurance premiums), and Section 24(b) (for home loan interest).


5. Home Loan Statement: If there is a home loan, use the home loan statement detailing the principal and interest repaid.

6. Capital Gains: In case of any sold capital asset like a house or shares, related documents are needed to calculate capital gains.

“If you have switched one or more jobs in a financial year, make sure you include payslips from all employers you have worked for in the year. Also, consider rent from House PropertyCapital Gain on sale of any capital assetInterest from bank accounts, FDs, etc,” said ClearTax.

7. Other Income: Income from other sources, like rent from property or freelance work, should also be calculated and reported.

Also Read: Common mistakes you should avoid while filing your ITR

How to file ITR


 Compute total income for the year:  After determining income from all sources and TDS deducted on income, total income for the year is to be computed. Consider Rent from House Property, Capital Gain on sale of any capital asset, Interest from bank accounts, FDs, etc. Total income is the aggregation of income received and TDS deducted on such income. 

Finally, file your tax return and verify it

” Visit the official Income Tax e-Filing portal (incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in) and choose ITR-1 (Sahaj) or ITR-2 and enter the relevant details like income details, deductions, and tax payable as per the instructions provided with the form. Refer to your salary slips, bank statements, and other documents to accurately enter the information,” said Kumar Binit, Founder & CEO at FinMapp.

After verifying the form, save the ITR in XML format. Upload the XML file on the Income Tax e-Filing portal and submit it. After submitting the same you can verify electronically with Aadhaar base OTP.

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