If you've logged into the Income Tax e-Filing Portal recently, you may have noticed something new sitting alongside your familiar options: a second form, right next to the one you've used for years. The portal now shows two separate statements 

For taxpayers and tax professionals alike, this isn't just a cosmetic update. Picking the wrong one can genuinely disrupt your return filing. Here's a clear breakdown of what's changed, why it matters, and how to make sure you're using the right document.

Why Are There Two Forms Now?

India's tax framework is in transition. The Income Tax Act, 2025 is gradually replacing the Income Tax Act, 1961, and as part of that shift, several long-standing tax forms are being renumbered and restructured. Form 26AS  the tax "passbook" that has helped taxpayers verify TDS, TCS, and other credits for decades  is one of them.

Under the new Act, Form 26AS is being reissued as Form 168. It isn't a completely new concept; think of it as an evolved, more consolidated version of what Form 26AS and the Annual Information Statement (AIS) used to do separately.

Form 26AS vs. Form 168: The Key Difference

In short: Form 168 is broader. It folds in information that previously lived across Form 26AS and AIS into a single, more comprehensive annual statement.

What Form 168 Actually Contains

Once it becomes applicable, Form 168 will be an auto-generated, all-in-one record covering:

• TDS/TCS credits
• Tax payments made during the year
• Specified Financial Transactions (SFTs)  high-value transactions like large deposits, property purchases, or big investments
• Demand and refund information
• The status of any ongoing tax proceedings

Essentially, it's designed to give taxpayers and assessing officers a single, unified view instead of having to cross-reference multiple documents.

Where to Find These Options on the Portal

If you're logging in to check for yourself, here's exactly where to look:

Dashboard → e-File → Income Tax Returns

This opens a dropdown with several options, including:

• File Income Tax Return
• View Filed Returns
• e-Verify Return
• View Form 26AS, Income Tax Act 1961
• View Form 168, Income Tax Act 2025
• Download Pre-Filled Data
• View Annual Information Statement (AIS)

Notice that both form options now sit right next to each other in the same menu — which is exactly why it's easy to click the wrong one if you're not paying attention. The AIS option remains separate as well, so taxpayers now have three related-but-distinct statements to choose from in one dropdown.

Which One Should You Actually Use?

This is the part that trips people up. Here's the simple rule:

The two forms are not interchangeable, even though they serve a similar purpose. Selecting the wrong one — say, relying on Form 168 data for an assessment year that's still governed by the 1961 Act — can throw off your entire filing.

Why This Matters More Than It Might Seem

It's tempting to think of this as just an administrative renumbering exercise, and in many ways it is. But the practical risks of mixing up the two forms are real:

• Mismatches in tax credit claims — TDS/TCS figures may not reconcile correctly if pulled from the wrong statement.
• Reconciliation headaches — cross-checking your return against the wrong form wastes time and can trigger unnecessary follow-up.
• Incorrect reliance on pre-filled ITR data — if your return auto-populates from the wrong source, errors can cascade through your entire filing.

For tax professionals handling multiple clients across different assessment years, this distinction becomes especially important to build into your workflow now, before it becomes a habit-forming mistake.

The Bottom Line

The shift from Form 26AS to Form 168 reflects the broader move from the Income Tax Act, 1961 to the Income Tax Act, 2025  and it's a preview of more such changes to come as the new Act rolls out fully. For now, the safest approach is simple:

Always check which Act and Tax Year/Assessment Year applies to your filing before choosing between Form 26AS and Form 168. A few seconds of verification on the portal can save you from reconciliation problems down the line.

As always, when in doubt, cross-verify with the official Income Tax e-Filing Portal or consult a qualified tax professional before relying on either statement for compliance or assessment purposes.