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Income Tax

Form 16, TDS Certificate on Salary

Annual certificate showing salary paid and tax deducted, issued by an employer to a salaried employee.

Who files it

Employers, for every employee whose salary had TDS deducted during the year.

Frequency

Annual

Due date

15 June, after the financial year ends

Filed with

Issued directly to the employee, not filed with the department. The underlying data is generated through TRACES.

Form 16 has two parts. Part A summarizes TDS deducted and deposited each quarter, generated through TRACES, and includes the employer's TAN and the employee's PAN. Part B breaks down the actual salary structure, exemptions claimed, and deductions under Chapter VI-A, and is prepared by the employer directly.

For most salaried taxpayers, Form 16 is the single most useful document when filing a return, since it already consolidates salary, exemptions, and TDS in one place. It is worth cross-checking Form 16 figures against Form 26AS and AIS before filing.

This is a quick-reference summary, not a filing walkthrough. Due dates shown are the statutory defaults and can be extended in practice; applicability depends on your specific registration, turnover, and entity type. For general informational purposes only, not professional tax or legal advice.

Read more

How to Read Your Form 16 and Catch Errors Before Filing

Form 16 isn't the final word on your taxes, it's your employer's first draft of them. Here's how to read Part A and Part B and catch errors before filing.

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