I asked ChatGPT what salaried taxpayers should check before filing ITR in 2026 — and these 15 things came up

Income-tax returns: I asked ChatGPT to list out the key things that salaried taxpayers should check for before filing their income-tax returns this year. Here's the top 15 important checks it highlighted.

The ChatGPT prompt

Please highlight and list out at least 10 things that salaried taxpayers should check before filing income-tax returns (ITR) in India in 2026.

Here's what ChatGPT said:

If you're a salaried taxpayer filing your Income Tax Return (ITR) in India in 2026 (for FY 2025–26 / AY 2026–27), it's worth doing a thorough review before submitting. Errors can lead to notices, delayed refunds, or loss of eligible deductions.

Here are 15 important checks:

• Verify Form 16 details: Compare your salary income, exemptions, deductions, and TDS in your Form 16 with what appears in your ITR form. Ensure there are no discrepancies between Part A and Part B.
• Reconcile Form 26AS: Check your TDS credits, advance tax payments, and other tax-related transactions in Form 26AS (https://www.incometax.gov.in?utm_source=chatgpt.com). Any missing TDS credit should be addressed before filing.
• Review the Annual Information Statement: AIS contains information about salary, interest income, dividends, securities transactions, mutual fund investments, and foreign remittances. Match all entries against your records. Report any omissions or incorrect information.
• Check the tax regime chosen: Confirm whether the old tax regime or new tax regime is more beneficial for you. The default regime may not always be the optimal one depending on your deductions and exemptions.

• Report all bank interest: Many taxpayers forget to report their savings account interest, fixed deposit interest, and recurring deposit interest. Banks may not deduct TDS in all cases, but the income is still taxable.
• Include dividend income: Dividends from shares and mutual funds are generally taxable in the hands of the recipient. Cross-check AIS and broker statements.
• Verify capital gains: If you sold shares, mutual funds, bonds and property ensure both short-term and long-term capital gains / losses are correctly reported. Use broker and AMC statements rather than estimates.
• Confirm Section 80C deductions: Under the old regime, verify eligible investments such as EPF, PPF, ELSS, Life insurance premiums and principal repayment of housing loan. Keep supporting documents ready.

• Check other eligible deductions: Review whether you've claimed eligible deductions such as Section 80D (health insurance), Section 80CCD(1B) (NPS), Section 80G (donations), Section 80TTA/80TTB (interest deductions where applicable).
• Verify House Rent Allowance: If claiming HRA ensure rent receipts are available, verify landlord PAN requirements (where applicable) and check that HRA calculations are accurate.
• Review home loan claims: If you have a housing loan review the interest deduction eligibility, principal repayment deduction, self-occupied vs. let-out property treatment, and co-owner allocations if applicable.
• Check multiple employers: If you changed jobs during FY 2025–26 ensure income from all employers is included, verify that TDS calculations account for total annual salary, and watch for underpayment of tax due to separate payroll computations.

• Verify bank account details: Refund delays often occur because account numbers are incorrect, accounts are not validated, and IFSC details are outdated. Confirm refund-credit bank account details carefully.
• Review foreign assets and income: If you held foreign shares, received foreign income, or had overseas bank accounts, ensure the relevant schedules are completed correctly. Non-disclosure can attract significant scrutiny.
• Confirm the correct ITR form: For example, for salaried taxpayers with simple income typically ITR-1 (subject to eligibility) is applicable. Note that capital gains, multiple properties, foreign assets, or other complexities may require different forms. Using the wrong ITR form can invalidate the return.

ITR 2026: Final pre-submission checklist

Before clicking submit follow this checklist to avoid notices, reduce refund delays, and minimise the need for filing a revised return.

• Form 16 reconciled
• Form 26AS checked
• AIS reviewed
• All bank interest reported
• Capital gains included

• Correct tax regime selected
• Deductions verified
• Bank account validated
• Correct ITR form chosen
• Return e-verified after filing

Taxpayers must consider waiting until AIS data is fully updated. Experts advise caution about filing too early because AIS and related reporting may not be fully populated immediately after the filing utilities become available. Waiting until the relevant information is reflected can reduce mismatch risks.

Further, the portal now pre-fills much more information than before, including salary, interest income, TDS credits, and some investment details. However, pre-filled data can still contain omissions or timing differences. Always verify it against your records.

For official guidance and filing, use the Income-Tax e-filing portal here — https://www.incometax.gov.in. Your ITR filing is not complete until the return is successfully e-verified.

Disclaimer: This article contains AI-generated analysis and is intended only for informational and educational purposes. It should not be treated as financial, investment, tax, insurance, legal or retirement advice. Financial situations, income levels, goals, risk tolerance and regulations vary significantly across individuals and may change over time. Readers should independently verify all assumptions, calculations, product details, interest rates, tax implications and eligibility conditions before making financial decisions. Where appropriate, consult a SEBI-registered investment adviser, qualified financial planner, tax professional or other licensed expert. Any examples, projections or scenarios discussed are illustrative only and do not guarantee future outcomes, returns or financial results.