Verify TAN Allotment Letter

• Begin by cross-checking the official TAN allotment letter issued by the Income Tax Department.
  
• Ensure the TAN matches your entity name, PAN, and jurisdiction as mentioned in the letter.
  
• This document serves as the primary source of truth for TAN details.
  

Validate Through Income Tax and TRACES Portals

• Use the “Know Your TAN” feature on the Income Tax e-filing portal to confirm TAN registration details.
  
• Log in to the TRACES portal to check:
  
  • TAN profile
    
  • Contact information
    
  • Linked filings and challans
    
• These platforms highlight discrepancies if the TAN is misused or linked incorrectly.
  

Maintain Consistency Across All Records

• Ensure the same TAN is used in:
  
  • TDS returns (24Q, 26Q, etc.)
    
  • Challan 281 payments
    
  • Form 16/16A certificates
    
  • Vendor agreements and internal accounting software
    
• Any mismatch across these records can cause rejection of returns or incorrect tax credit reflection.
  

Reconcile with PAN and AO Jurisdiction

• Check if the TAN is correctly linked with the right PAN and Assessing Officer (AO) code.
  
• This is particularly important for businesses operating across multiple branches or states.
  

Conduct Periodic Internal Reviews

• Assign responsibility to your finance or compliance team to review TAN-related data quarterly, especially during:
  
  • TDS filing cycles
    
  • Statutory audits
    
  • Vendor onboarding processes
    
• Keep updated logs of TAN usage, corrections, and correspondence with tax authorities.