How to download the Annual Information Statement, what is its password and why is AIS important

How to download AIS

Here are the steps you can follow to download your AIS:

What is the password to open your AIS file?

The password to your AIS file would be a combination of your PAN and date of birth. When asked for a password, enter your PAN in lowercase letters followed by your date of birth in DDMMYYYY format.

Why is AIS important?

An Annual Information Statement (AIS) is a comprehensive view of your financial transactions, which shows complete information before you file your income tax return (ITR).

The objectives of AIS, as per the Income Tax Department’s website:

• Displays complete information before filing ITR

• Has a facility to capture online feedback

• Promotes voluntary compliance

• Enables seamless prefilling of the return

• Discourages non-compliance

The AIS is shown in two parts.

In Part A, AIS includes general information, including your PAN, Aadhaar Number, name, date of birth, mobile number, email address, etc. In Part B, AIS includes information related to tax deducted/collected at source. It has all the details, including Statement of Financial Transaction (SFT), payment of taxes and demand and refund.

AIS is different from Form 26AS. Starting from assessment year 2023-24 (AY24), Form 26AS (Annual Tax Statement) only displays TDS/TCS-related data of the taxpayer. All other details regarding the taxpayer are mentioned in the AIS.