Form 24Q is the quarterly TDS return an employer files for salary payments. It reports, for every employee, the salary paid and the tax deducted and deposited in that quarter. It is the employer-side counterpart to the employee’s Form 16: the data in Form 24Q is what generates Form 16 Part A on the TRACES portal.

What it contains

Form 24Q has two annexures. Annexure I is filed every quarter and lists deductee-wise details of salary paid and TDS deducted, along with challan details for the deposits. Annexure II is filed only with the fourth-quarter return and carries the full-year salary computation for each employee: the breakup, exemptions, Chapter VI-A deductions, chosen regime, and total tax. Annexure II is effectively the source of Form 16 Part B.

Due dates

Late filing attracts a fee of Rs 200 per day under Section 234E, capped at the TDS amount, plus a possible penalty under Section 271H. Errors in PAN or challan linkage are the usual reason an employee’s tax credit does not show up in Form 26AS, so accuracy here matters to every employee on the payroll.

Frequently asked questions

Who files Form 24Q, the employer or the employee?

The employer, as the deductor. The employee never files it; they only receive the Form 16 that results from it.

Can Form 24Q be revised?

Yes. A correction statement can be filed to fix PAN errors, challan mismatches or wrong amounts, and it is the normal way to repair a credit that is missing from an employee’s 26AS.

Is Form 24Q the same as Form 26Q?

No. Form 24Q is for salary TDS under Section 192. Form 26Q is for TDS on non-salary payments to residents, such as contractor or professional fees.

For the numbers that feed Annexure II, use the Income Tax Calculator and the TDS on Salary Calculator. Getting quarterly returns right with no manual rework is a core reason to run payroll software.