Form 26AS Replaced by Form 168:The new Income-tax Act of 2025 has completely transformed India’s income tax system through its implementation. The most significant change for taxpayers occurs because the common Form 26AS will be replaced by the new Form 168 starting from April 1 2026.
The new form operates as a government initiative which aims to create easier tax compliance procedures while developing modern reporting methods and establishing tax documentation requirements based on the updated Income-tax Rules, 2026. All salaried professionals and business operators need to understand Form 168 for their Income Tax Return (ITR) filing purposes.
What Is Form 168?
Form 168 is the new annual tax information statement that replaces Form 26AS under the Income-tax Act, 2025. It serves as a consolidated record of tax-related information linked to a taxpayer’s PAN.
Just like Form 26AS, the new Form 168 includes:
- Tax Deducted at Source (TDS)
- Tax Collected at Source (TCS)
- Advance tax details
- Self-assessment tax payments
- Refund information
- High-value financial transactions
- Tax compliance records
Experts say the new format is designed to provide a more unified and technology-driven reporting structure.
Form 26AS Replaced by Form 168: Why?
The government introduced the change as part of the broader restructuring under the new Income-tax Act, 2025 and Draft Income-tax Rules, 2026. Several legacy forms have been renumbered or replaced to streamline the tax administration system.
Along with Form 26AS becoming Form 168, other important changes include:
- Form 16 to Form 130
- Form 16A to Form 131
- Form 15G/15H to Form 121
- Form 26Q to Form 140
- Form 27Q to Form 144
The renumbering is intended to create a more standardised compliance framework across the tax ecosystem.
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Step-by-Step Process to Download Form 168
Taxpayers can download Form 168 through the Income Tax Department’s e-filing portal.
1. Visit the official Income Tax e-filing portal at Income Tax e-Filing portal
2. Log in using PAN, Aadhaar-linked credentials or user ID and password.
3. After login, click on ‘e-file’.
4. Select ‘Income Tax Returns’ and then choose ‘View Form 26AS’.
5. The portal redirects users to the TRACES website. Click on ‘Proceed’.
6. Select ‘View Tax Credit (Form 26AS)’.
7. Choose the relevant assessment year.
8. Select the preferred viewing format, such as HTML or PDF.
9. Click on ‘View/Download’ and export the file as PDF if needed.
The downloaded file can be viewed directly without requiring a password in most cases.
Key Difference Between Form 26AS and Form 168
While Form 26AS primarily focused on tax credits and TDS details, Form 168 is expected to provide a broader and more integrated annual tax information system under the new framework.
Another major change is the shift from the term “Financial Year” to “Tax Year” under the updated tax rules.
What Taxpayers Should Do Now?
Tax professionals recommend that taxpayers:
- Familiarise themselves with the new form numbers
- Regularly check Form 168 before filing ITR
- Ensure PAN and Aadhaar are linked
- Verify all TDS entries and tax payments
Businesses and payroll departments are also being advised to update internal systems and compliance workflows to avoid filing errors under the new tax regime.
