ITR filing: Step-by-step guide to downloading bank interest certificate | Personal Finance

With the Income Tax return (ITR) filing season underway, taxpayers are busy gathering documents needed to file accurate returns. One document that is often overlooked but can help avoid mistakes is the interest certificate issued by banks and financial institutions.

The certificate shows the total interest earned on savings accounts, fixed deposits (FDs), recurring deposits (RDs), and, in some cases, the interest paid on loans such as home loans. The figures can help taxpayers correctly report income, reconcile details with the Annual Information Statement (AIS), and reduce the risk of discrepancies that could trigger tax notices.

What is an interest certificate

An interest certificate is a statement issued by a bank or financial institution showing the interest credited to your deposit accounts during a financial year. Depending on the product, banks may also issue loan interest certificates that show the interest paid on home, education or other loans.

For taxpayers, this document serves two key purposes:

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  It helps report interest income accurately while filing the ITR.
• 
  It provides documentary evidence when claiming deductions linked to eligible loan interest, where applicable.

Since many taxpayers maintain accounts with more than one bank, collecting certificates from all institutions is important to ensure no interest income is left out of the tax return.

How to download your interest certificate from your bank

Most banks allow customers to download interest certificates through internet or mobile banking. Although the menu names differ from one bank to another, the process is broadly the same. You need to log in, select the relevant account, choose the financial year, and download the certificate in PDF format.

State Bank of India (SBI): Log in to Internet Banking, click e-Services, select My Certificates, choose Interest Certificate, select the financial year, and download the PDF.

HDFC Bank: Log in to NetBanking, open the Accounts section, click Download Interest Certificate under Quick Links, choose the account and financial year, and download the certificate.

ICICI Bank: Log in to Internet Banking, go to Payments & Transfer, select Tax Centre, click Interest Certificate, choose the account and financial year, and download the PDF.

Bank of Baroda: Log in to Internet Banking, open the Accounts or Request Services section, select Interest Certificate, choose the financial year, and generate the certificate.

Canara Bank: Log in to Net Banking, go to the Accounts or Deposits section, select Interest Certificate, choose the financial year, and download the PDF.

Axis Bank: Log in to Internet Banking, click Deposits, select Interest Certificate under Services, and either download the certificate or receive it on your registered email ID.

Punjab National Bank (PNB): Log in to Internet Banking, click Manage Accounts, select Deposit Accounts, choose the financial year and customer ID, submit the request, and download the certificate.

Kotak Mahindra Bank: Log in to Net Banking, open Service Requests or Tax Services, select Interest Certificate, choose the account and financial year, and download the document.

Union Bank of India: Log in to Internet Banking, go to the Accounts section, select Interest Certificate, choose the financial year, and generate the PDF.

Indian Bank: Log in to Internet Banking, open Deposit Services, select Interest Certificate, choose the financial year, and download the certificate.

India Post Internet Banking: Log in to your account, click Accounts, select Interest Certificate, choose the relevant account and financial year, and download the certificate.

Don’t rely only on TDS details

Many taxpayers assume that Form 26AS or the AIS alone is enough for reporting interest income. However, interest certificates remain useful because they provide a bank-wise break-up of interest credited during the year.

This is particularly helpful if you have:

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  Multiple savings accounts.
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  FDs across different banks.
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  RDs with more than one institution.
• 
  Joint deposit accounts.

The certificate also makes it easier to verify whether the interest reported by each bank matches your own records.

Keep all certificates before filing

Before filing your ITR, ensure you have collected interest certificates from every bank and financial institution where you earned interest during the financial year. Cross-check the figures with the AIS and Form 26AS, and reconcile any differences before submitting the return.

Taking this extra step can make the filing process smoother, improve the accuracy of your return, and reduce the chances of receiving a notice over mismatched income details later.