Difference between Form 16 and Form 16A

Form 16 and Form 16A are vital for taxpayers as they play an integral role in determining the payable tax amounts. They are also quite essential for filing income tax returns. It is because of their almost similar purpose that taxpayers often confuse between the two documents. 

Nonetheless, to make the most of their use and to ensure a smooth tax filing experience taxpayers should find out the point of difference between Form 16 and Form 16A and their purpose. 

What is Form 16?

Form 16 is a certification that comprises information that is used to file Income Tax Returns. Employers issue this certificate to their employees as per Section 203 of the ITA. 

It is also referred to as a salary certificate. Typically, Form 16 consists of details related to the salary paid in a particular fiscal year. 

Additionally, it states how much TDS has been deducted from the salary of said employee. This little detail is a major point of difference between Form 16 and 16A.

Notably, such a form is only issued when an employee’s annual income exceeds the tax exemption threshold and is liable for TDS.

Contents of Form 16

Typically, Form 16 comprises two broad parts, namely Form 16 Part A and Form 16 Part B. In general, this document includes details like –

• Proof of income
• PAN and TAN details of the employer
• PAN details of employee
• Tax paid on employee’s behalf 
• Payment acknowledgement number
• Education surcharge and cess

What is Form 16A?

Form 16A is a certificate of tax deducted at source and is issued by employers every quarter as per Section 203 of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Notably, payouts above Rs.30000 are liable for TDS and cannot claim deductions. 

The document offers a fair idea of the amount of TDS deducted on non-salary income sources like rent, professional charges, commission, etc. 

Typically, the 15th day of a month is the due date and is succeeded by quarterly TDS return due date. Notably, the rate of TDS, in this case, is dependent on the type of income resulting from sources other than salary. 

What are the Components of Form 16A?

It includes details like –

• Employer’s name, PAN and TAN
• Employee’s name, PAN and TAN
• Payment details
• TDS payment number
• Date of deposit and deposited tax amount

These details are also available in Form 26AS. 

With that being said, let’s proceed to find out the fundamental difference between 16 and 16A.

Difference between Form 16 and Form 16A

This comprehensive table below highlights the most fundamental differences between Form 16 and Form 16A. 

Hence, judging by the difference between Form 16 and Form 16A, it is evident that both forms are vital for taxpayers.