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Filing your return is far less stressful when you know what the tax department already sees. Two documents on the income-tax portal reveal exactly that: the Annual Information Statement (AIS) and the Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS). Reading them before you file is the single most effective way to avoid a mismatch notice.
What the AIS contains
The AIS is a comprehensive record of financial information reported to the department about you during the year. It typically includes:
- Salary and pension
- Interest from savings accounts, fixed and recurring deposits
- Dividends
- Sale and purchase of securities and mutual funds
- Sale of immovable property
- Foreign remittances and high-value transactions
- TDS and TCS, and taxes paid
Each item shows the reporting source (for example, a bank or a mutual fund registrar), so you can trace where a figure came from.
AIS vs TIS vs Form 26AS
These three overlap but serve different purposes:
| Document | What it is |
|---|---|
| Form 26AS | Primarily tax credits — TDS, TCS, advance and self-assessment tax. The starting point for tax paid. |
| AIS | A much wider view: income and transactions whether or not tax was deducted (savings interest, dividends, securities, property). |
| TIS | A category-wise summary derived from the AIS, showing a "processed value" that feeds the pre-filled return. |
In short: 26AS answers "how much tax was paid on my behalf?"; the AIS answers "what income did others report about me?"; the TIS is the tidy summary of the AIS.
How to read your AIS without panic
Open the AIS from the income-tax portal under Services → Annual Information Statement. Two figures appear for many entries: the reported value (what the source filed) and the modified value (after any feedback you submitted). Go category by category and tick each against your own records — bank statements, broker capital-gains report, Form 16 and dividend statements. Small differences are common; the goal is to explain each one, not to make the AIS match your return to the rupee.
Fixing a wrong entry: AIS feedback
If something is wrong — a duplicated transaction, income that is not yours, or an inflated amount — use the built-in feedback option next to that line. You can mark it as:
- Information is duplicate / included in another entry
- Information is not fully correct (and enter the right amount)
- Information relates to another person / year
- Information is denied / not mine
Once submitted, the AIS shows a modified value and the reporting entity may be asked to confirm. Importantly, you still file your return based on your actual, correct income — feedback documents your position; it does not, by itself, change your liability.
Common mismatches and what causes them
- Interest not in your books: banks report savings and FD interest even when no TDS was deducted — people often forget to include it.
- Double-counted mutual-fund switches: a switch is both a redemption and a purchase and can look like extra activity.
- Gross vs net figures: the AIS may show gross values before charges; your gain is computed on net.
- Joint accounts: interest may appear fully in one holder's AIS.
Why it matters for a clean return
The department's systems compare your filed return against the AIS. Unexplained gaps are the most common trigger for an automated query or a Section 143(1) adjustment. Reconciling first means faster processing, quicker refunds, and far fewer notices. When you are ready to translate these figures into a computation, use the ITR calculator and our how to file your ITR guide.
Turn your AIS into a filing-ready number
Enter your reconciled income and see tax under both regimes.
Open the ITR Calculator → How to file your ITRFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between AIS and TIS?
The AIS is the detailed statement listing every reported transaction; the TIS is a summarised, category-wise version derived from the AIS that shows a processed value used to help pre-fill your return.
How is AIS different from Form 26AS?
Form 26AS focuses mainly on tax credits (TDS, TCS, advance tax). The AIS is far broader, adding savings interest, dividends, securities transactions, and more, whether or not tax was deducted.
What should I do if my AIS shows a wrong entry?
Use the online feedback option against that entry — mark it as duplicate, not mine, or incorrect amount. The AIS updates with a modified value, and you should still file based on your correct actual income.
Does the AIS decide my final tax?
No. The AIS is informational. You file based on your actual income and records; the AIS helps you cross-check and avoid missing anything, but a wrong AIS entry does not increase your real liability.