ITR filing: Switched jobs during FY 2025-26? Follow this checklist to avoid errors

Switching jobs often comes with a higher salary, better career prospects and new opportunities. But it can also make your Income Tax Return (ITR) filing more complicated.

If you worked for more than one employer during FY 2025-26, you will need to report the salary earned from each employer while filing your ITR for Assessment Year (AY) 2026-27. Missing income from a previous employer can lead to incorrect tax calculations, tax dues, delayed refunds or even a notice from the Income Tax Department.

Here’s what you should keep in mind before filing your return.

Collect all salary records before filing your ITR

The first step is to collect a separate Form 16 from every employer you worked for during FY 2025-26.

Each Form 16 contains details of your salary, tax deducted at source (TDS), exemptions and deductions claimed during your employment. Before filing your ITR, combine the salary details from all your Form 16s and report your total income accurately.

Also, verify the TDS deducted by each employer with Form 26AS and the Annual Information Statement (AIS). This ensures the tax credit you claim matches the Income Tax Department’s records and reduces the chances of errors.

Common mistakes that can increase your tax liability

One of the most common mistakes employees make after changing jobs is failing to submit Form 12B to their new employer.

Form 12B contains details of the salary earned and TDS deducted by your previous employer. Without this information, your new employer may deduct less tax than required, leaving you with an additional tax liability when you file your ITR. You may also have to pay interest on the shortfall.

To avoid such a situation, you should keep these points in mind:

• Collect Form 16 from every employer.
• Report the total salary income in a single ITR.
• Match TDS with Form 26AS and AIS before filing.
• Check the pre-filled ITR carefully instead of relying on it completely.
• Keep employment and salary records handy for future reference.
• Do not hesitate to take guidance from a certified tax professional.

A diligent review of your salary income, TDS records, deductions, and tax-related documentation can help make tax filing routine and seamless. This can be accomplished by spending just a little extra time reconciling basic facts and cross-checking data points across multiple employers. This way, you can ensure that you are able to avoid unwanted tax notices and also claim and get timely refunds without any delays.