Filing your Income Tax Return (ITR) using pre-filled data is highly convenient, but relying on it blindly is a major reason taxpayers receive automated mismatch notices under Section 143(1)(a).
The pre-filled data is only as good as what banks, brokers, and employers have reported. Before hitting that final submit button, you should review the following crucial checklist.
1. The Core Golden Rule
Never assume the pre-filled values are 100% accurate. If there is a difference between your actual bank statements/certificates and the pre-filled ITR/AIS, always file with the correct, actual figures and submit feedback on the AIS portal.
2. Critical Checkpoints Before Submission
🔍 Interest Income (The Most Common Miss)
Savings Bank Interest: The pre-filled system often pulls this from a single bank or misses it entirely. Check all your active bank accounts, total the interest, and report it under “Income from Other Sources.” (Don’t forget to claim the deduction under Section 80TTA up to ₹10,000 if you are under the Old Tax Regime).
Fixed Deposit (FD) Interest: Ensure the pre-filled data captures all interest accrued during the financial year, even if the FD hasn’t matured yet.
📈 Capital Gains & Securities Transactions
Duplicate Mutual Fund Records: The AIS frequently duplicates mutual fund redemptions because both the AMC (Asset Management Company) and the registrar (like CAMS or Karvy) report the same transaction. Check your actual capital gains statement from your broker.
Off-Market Transfers: If you transferred shares between your own Demat accounts, the AIS sometimes flags this as a “sale.” You need to correct this in the ITR and mark it as a non-sale transfer in the AIS feedback.
Dividend Income: Ensure gross dividends are reported. Sometimes pre-filled forms capture net dividends (after TDS), causing a mismatch.
💼 Employment & Deductions
Nature of Employment: Ensure this is explicitly marked correctly (e.g., Central Government).
Form 16 vs. Pre-fill Mismatches: If the pre-filled data shows a lower salary or missing TDS compared to your Form 16, trust your Form 16 and manually edit the fields.
🏦 Bank Account Validation
Ensure the primary bank account you selected for your tax refund is pre-validated and your PAN is linked to it on the portal. An unvalidated account will stall your refund indefinitely.
3. How to Handle an AIS Discrepancy
If you find an error in your AIS (e.g., a transaction is duplicated or the amount is wrong), follow these steps to clear your record:
Access the AIS Portal: Log in to the e-filing website, go to Services, select Annual Information Statement (AIS).
Select the Wrong Transaction: Click on the specific transaction under the Part B tab to expand its details.
Submit Feedback: Click the Feedback button. Select the appropriate option from the dropdown (e.g., Information is duplicate or Information is denied).
File ITR with Actual Figures: Do not wait for the AIS to update. Go ahead and file your ITR using your actual, correct records. The tax department’s automated system accepts verified records over a flagged AIS entry.