What to do if your name is in the income tax defaulter list by mistake
If your name appears on the income tax defaulter list despite paying your dues and filing returns on time, don’t panic—here’s how to check for errors, correct the record, and protect your financial standing.
Verify your tax records immediately If you notice that your name appears on the income tax defaulter's list due to a mistake, the first thing to do is log in to the Income Tax e-filing portal and check your tax filing history. Confirm that your ITR is filed accurately, the correct assessment year is selected, and that your tax arrears (if any) are shown as paid. Most often, mistakes occur as a result of incorrect PAN linkage or mistaken reporting of transactions.
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Downloading Form 26AS and AIS Review your Form 26AS and Annual Information Statement (AIS) to verify whether there are any discrepancies in the tax deducted at source (TDS), self-assessment tax, or advance tax paid. If the records show that you’ve paid all taxes and filed returns accurately, the problem could be due to a delay in updating tax credit details or a mismatch in data provided by your employer, bank, or other deductors.
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File a grievance on e-filing portal If all seems well on your side, file a grievance using the 'e-Nivaran' option on the e-filing portal. Mention details like your PAN, assessment year, the problem encountered, and supporting documents like ITR-V, tax challans, and Form 26AS. The tax department usually examines such grievances and takes a decision in 15 to 30 days.
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File a rectification request if necessary If the issue is due to processing failure by the Centralized Processing Centre (CPC), you can file a rectification request under Section 154 on the e-filing portal. You can choose this if your return has been processed already but there are errors like tax credit mismatch or incorrect computation of refund or demand.
Contact your assessing officer If the problem remains unresolved on the net, you may have to approach directly to your assessing officer for the area. You may find their contact details through the 'Know Your AO' feature on the income tax website. Carry all the supporting documents like return acknowledgments and tax paid proof along with you when approaching the officer personally.
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Maintain a clean financial record Having your name as a tax defaulter in error can affect your credit worthiness and availability of financial products. Always keep your tax records, file timely, and reconcile tax credits periodically. If your name inadvertently found its way in, ensure that you receive a confirmation of resolution in writing or through e-mail by the Income Tax Department to refer to later.
