TDS Return
Also called: TDS statement, quarterly TDS return
What is TDS Return?
A TDS return is the quarterly statement a deductor files with the income tax department, reporting the tax deducted during the quarter, who it was deducted from, and the challans through which it was deposited — the filing that makes the credit visible to the person it was deducted from.
Why the return matters as much as the deposit
Depositing tax gets the money to the government. The return is what allocates it. Until a deductee appears in a filed return against a valid PAN, the deduction does not show in their tax credit statement, and they cannot claim it. A deposit without a return creates a dispute with your own vendor or employee.
Quarterly due dates
- April to June: 31 July
- July to September: 31 October
- October to December: 31 January
- January to March: 31 May
Separate returns for separate payments
Salary deductions and non-salary deductions to residents are reported on different statements, and payments to non-residents on another. Under the Income-tax Act, 2025 the form numbering was reworked alongside the section numbering, so the label shown on the filing portal may differ from the one used in earlier years — file from what the portal currently presents.
Cost of filing late
A late fee runs per day of delay, capped at the amount of tax deducted, with a further penalty possible where the return is not filed within the permitted window. Corrections are possible after filing, but each revision delays the credit reaching the deductee.
Frequently asked questions
The money sits with the government unallocated. The deductee cannot see or claim the credit, and a daily late fee accrues until the return is filed, capped at the tax deducted.