#FinancialBytes: 10 Documents you need while filing your I-T Return

The first document which you need while filing your Income Tax Return is your Permanent Account Number (PAN) card which carries a unique ten-digit alphanumeric number.

If you don't have one, you can get it done in 15-days time either offline by submitting form 49A to the I-T department or online by applying for it on the website of National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL).

Another document that you require while filing income tax returns is your Aadhaar card as it has been made mandatory with effect from July 1, 2017. Further, your Aadhaar must be linked to your PAN.

You can get Aadhaar card by visiting your nearby Aadhaar card centers and filing up enrollment form.

It takes a maximum of 3-5 weeks to get an Aadhaar card.

If you took a home loan from a bank or any other financial institution during the financial year, you must collect your loan certificate showing the break-up of principal amount and interest repaid by you, both of which help to claim tax deductions.

While Principal repayment is eligible for tax deduction under Section 80C, home loan interest can be claimed under Section 24.

All the interest income earned by you either on bank or post office deposits are subject to tax. Thus, you must get the interest certificates from these institutions to know the amount of total interest earned.

Alternatively, you can get your bank passbook updated with all the details related to the interest credited to your account.

If you're a salaried person, you need to have your Form 16 while filing the I-T returns.

It basically serves as a certificate issued by your employer that your Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) has been accounted for from your salary and deposited with income tax authorities.

It also carries all the details related to your salary.

You can collect it from your employer.

Form 16A- If you have made bank deposits, collect it from your bank certifying TDS deduction on your interest income.

Form 16B- If you have sold any property, then collect Form-16B from the buyer certifying TDS deduction on the amount received by you.

Form 16C- If you've given a property on rent, collect it from your tenant certifying TDS deduction on your rental income.

Keep the investment proofs for all the tax-saving investment instruments, in which you have pooled in your money, handy with you.

These proofs include Public Provident Fund passbook, National Savings Certificates documents, statements of tax-saving mutual funds, receipts of pension plans, documents related to investments made in infrastructure bonds, etc.

Apart from tax-saving investments, also keep payment receipts of tax-deductible expenses made by you ready with yourself, while filing income tax return.

Tax-deductible expenses include health insurance premium, tuition fees paid for a maximum of two children, stamp duty, registration charges and other expenses incurred on the purchase of a house, premium payments made on life insurance policies, etc.

If you have earned any capital gains during a financial year, you are required to report such income in your income tax return.

For instance, if you have gained from a sale of a house property, you will need the sale deed of that property.

Similarly, if gains have resulted from sale of mutual funds/shares, you would need statements from mutual fund houses/ brokers.

Last but definitely not the least important document that you must have while filing your income tax return is Form 26AS.

Form 26AS is nothing but your consolidated annual tax statement. It contains the following details:

TDS deducted by your employer, banks or any other organisation

Total tax and advance taxes paid by you

You can download it from the TRACES website.