No Fixed Legal Review Period

• There is no explicitly defined legal “review period” for TAN usage under the Income Tax Act.
  
• However, TAN-related compliance is generally **reviewed on a quarterly and annual basis during audits, return filings, and regulatory checks.
  

Quarterly Compliance Reviews

• TAN holders are required to file quarterly TDS/TCS returns (Form 24Q, 26Q, 27Q, 27EQ).
  
• Each quarter acts as a compliance review window, where tax deductions, challans, and filings are checked for:
  
  • Timely deduction and deposit
    
  • Correct TAN usage
    
  • Proper PAN linkage and section-wise reporting
    

Annual Statutory Audit Review

• During the statutory audit, auditors examine TAN usage as part of Clause 34 of Form 3CD in the tax audit report.
  
• This includes:
  
  • Verification of the TAN’s validity
    
  • Cross-checking all deductions and payments made under TAN
    
  • Identifying defaults or delays in TDS returns and tax remittances
    

Income Tax Assessments and Scrutiny

• TAN records may be reviewed by the Income Tax Department during scrutiny assessments, survey proceedings, or compliance notices.
  
• The review typically spans the past one or more financial years, depending on the scope of inquiry.
  

Internal Periodic Reviews

• Responsible businesses conduct monthly or quarterly internal reviews of TDS activity under TAN.
  
• These reviews include:
  
  • Reconciliation of books with Form 26AS and TRACES data
    
  • Verification of challans and TDS certificates issued
    
  • Monitoring defaults or mismatches
    

Records Retention Period

• Though TAN is permanent, its associated TDS records and filings must be preserved for at least 6 to 8 years.
  
• This is crucial for audits, legal proceedings, or responding to inquiries from the tax department.