New Delhi, June 15 -- As the ITR filing season for AY2026-27 gathers pace, salaried taxpayers need one of the most important documents to file their tax returns: Form 16. While employers are legally required to issue Form 16 by 15 June under Rule 31(3) of the Income Tax Rules, 1962, delays are not uncommon.

With the deadline for salaried taxpayers to file their ITR set for 31 July 2026, filing ITR without Form 16 could result in costly reporting errors.

According to Mrinal Mehta, Joint Secretary at Bombay Chartered Accountants' Society (BCAS), while filing without Form 16 is legally permissible, it can expose taxpayers to several reporting risks if proper precautions are not taken.

Form 16 is a Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) certificate ...