Section 80C, 80D, and NPS Old-Regime Checklist for AY 2026-27
Use this AY 2026-27 old-regime checklist for 80C, 80D, NPS, HRA, home loan interest, Form 16, and final regime comparison.
This guide is for Indian taxpayers who are actively filing their FY 2025-26 income returns and have not yet decided whether the old regime actually helps them. That decision is the crux of this article.
Filing mistakes rarely happen at the submission stage. They happen earlier — when someone picks the wrong assessment year, goes with an incomplete prefill, or selects ITR-1 when the income profile clearly calls for ITR-2 or ITR-3. This checklist is designed to catch those problems before they reach the portal.
Three things worth remembering
| Point | What it means |
|---|---|
| 1 | Deduction proof matters. |
| 2 | Old regime should be compared, not assumed. |
| 3 | Do not mix old deductions with new-regime filing. |
What the official position says
Old-regime deductions and exemptions are valid only when the taxpayer is eligible, has supporting records, and the return treatment matches the declared regime. The Income Tax Department portal — not a blog or a WhatsApp forward — is the correct source for final positions.
| Reference | Link |
|---|---|
| Income Tax Department - Salaried Individuals AY 2026-27 | Open source |
A typical scenario
Consider a salaried taxpayer with EPF contributions, ELSS mutual fund investments, a health insurance policy for the family, NPS contributions under Section 80CCD(1B), and a home loan with interest outgo. Individually each of these looks like a strong old-regime argument. But the right answer only emerges after computing final taxable income under both regimes and comparing the actual tax.
Go through the file in three passes. First, establish the correct assessment year and taxpayer profile. Second, map each income head to the right ITR form and schedule. Third, verify that tax credits and supporting documents align. If any pass reveals a gap, stop and resolve it — that is where defective returns and refund delays tend to originate.
Documents to gather before filing
- 80C investment proofs (EPF passbook, ELSS statements, LIC premium receipt, PPF passbook)
- Health insurance premium receipt (Section 80D)
- NPS contribution statement (Section 80CCD)
- Home loan interest certificate (Section 24(b))
- Form 16 from employer
Organise everything in one folder alongside a short computation note explaining each figure in the return. That note pays dividends if an AIS entry, a bank interest credit, or a TDS challan ever needs to be explained to the department.
Filing checklist
- Confirm AY 2026-27 is selected — this covers FY 2025-26 income.
- Match income head and return form to the taxpayer's actual income sources.
- Cross-check Form 16 and Form 16A figures against AIS, TIS, and Form 26AS.
- Flag every mismatch in writing before proceeding.
- Run the regime comparison on final taxable income — not on salary package or investment declarations made in January.
- File only when the figures are defensible, then e-verify without delay.
What goes wrong
- Claiming deductions without matching proof documents.
- Investing purely for tax and ending up with locked, illiquid instruments.
- Forgetting to run the regime comparison after all income is tallied — early-year estimates can be stale.
- Taking a deduction in both the employer TDS workings and the self-filed return, resulting in a double claim.
The costliest error is usually picking the wrong route and realising it after filing. Revised return, rectification, ITR-U, AIS feedback, demand payment, and notice reply each resolve a different problem. None of them are free of risk or effort.
Useful MyeCA resources
- New vs old regime salary guide
- Old regime useful guide
- Regime comparator
- Choose your ITR form
- Income tax calculator
- Start CA-assisted filing
Calculators help with preparation. They are not a substitute for checking the final documents. If the return involves capital gains, foreign assets, business income, a significant refund, a tax-credit mismatch, or an outstanding notice, get the position reviewed before submitting.
Keep the complete AY 2026-27 filing guide and the form-selection guide open while working through the file.
Frequently asked questions
Are 80C and 80D available in new regime?
Most old-regime deductions are not available in the new regime, so compare carefully.
Should I upload proofs?
Keep proofs ready and use them for computation and review as required.
Should I get CA review before filing?
CA review makes sense when the facts go beyond the routine — capital gains, trading income, foreign assets, business income, a regime switch, or an AIS/TDS mismatch that you cannot explain cleanly.
CA technical review note
Document the selected assessment year, taxpayer status, ITR form, income head, tax regime, source records, and the reason behind each significant figure. Where timing matters — Form 16 issue date, AIS update lag, TDS return processing, e-verification window, revised-return deadline — write the date alongside the decision.
The minimum working file should cover the computation, portal downloads, source statements, challans, the acknowledgement, and any correspondence. This article is educational and does not substitute for reviewing a specific taxpayer's documents.
Final note
Deduction proof matters. Old regime should be compared, not assumed. And once you choose the new regime, old deductions have no place in that return. Treat this checklist as one input into a complete, consistent AY 2026-27 filing file — covering the return, supporting records, tax credits, schedules, declarations, and verification.