How to Fill Form 15G and Form 15H to Avoid TDS on FD Interest: Complete 2026

Learning how to fill Form 15G. 15H to avoid TDS is one of the smartest money moves you can make if you earn interest from fixed deposits. Recurring deposits or savings.

Banks deduct Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) the moment your interest crosses a threshold. But if your total income is below the taxable limit. That deduction is simply your own money locked up until you claim a refund.

These two simple self-declaration forms let eligible depositors stop that deduction at the source. No refund chase. No blocked cash.

This 2026 guide explains everything in plain English. With a field-by-field walkthrough. Eligibility rules.

Online submission steps and the mistakes that quietly cost people money.

What Are Form 15G and Form 15H?

Form 15G. Form 15H are self-declaration forms under the Income Tax Act. 1961.

You submit them to the payer of your income. Usually your bank. To request that no tax be deducted at source on interest you are about to earn.

The logic is straightforward. The form is your written promise that your estimated total income for the year is below the taxable limit. So your final tax liability will be nil.

Because no tax is ultimately due. There is no reason for the bank to deduct any. The single difference between the two forms is age.

• Form 15G — for resident individuals and HUFs below 60 years of age.
• Form 15H — for resident senior citizens aged 60 years and above.

Why Banks Deduct TDS on Interest in the First Place

Section 194A of the Income Tax Act. 1961 requires banks to deduct TDS on interest payments once they cross the prescribed threshold in a financial year. If your interest crosses that limit. The bank deducts tax. Deposits it with the government on your behalf.

The bank then issues a TDS certificate in Form 16A. And the deduction shows up in your Form 26AS (and the Annual Information Statement). The standard TDS rate on such interest is 10% when your PAN is on record. If you fail to furnish your PAN. The rate jumps to 20% under Section 206AA.

One change worth remembering: after core banking and computerisation. The threshold is no longer counted separately for each branch. Interest is now consolidated across all branches of the same bank. Always confirm the exact threshold amount on the latest official IIBF notification or Income Tax circular. As these limits are revised from time to time.

Form 15G vs Form 15H: The Key Differences

Here is a side-by-side comparison so you can instantly pick the right form for your situation.

Who Can Submit Form 15G?

Form 15G has slightly stricter conditions than 15H. Because younger taxpayers must satisfy two tests at the same time. You are eligible only if all of the following apply.

1. You are a resident of India. An NRI cannot submit this form.
2. You are an individual or a HUF. Never a company or a firm.
3. Your estimated tax for the financial year is nil after all deductions.
4. Your total interest income from all sources does not exceed the basic exemption limit for the year.

Both the third and fourth conditions must be true together. This is the part people miss. Even if various deductions reduce your final tax to zero. You cannot submit Form 15G if your total interest income alone is expected to exceed the basic exemption limit. Always confirm the current exemption figure on the latest official Income Tax notification.

When You Specifically Need Form 15G

• Submit it when your interest income is likely to cross the TDS threshold for the year.
• Submit it to each deductor. Every bank branch where you hold an FD or RD needs its own copy.
• Submit it for non-bank interest too — on loans. Advances, debentures or bonds — where that interest crosses the relevant threshold.
• Re-submit it every financial year. The form is valid for one year only.

Who Can Submit Form 15H?

Form 15H is reserved for resident senior citizens. The eligibility is a little more relaxed. The condition focuses on tax liability rather than the size of interest income.

1. You are a resident individual aged 60 or above. Or you turn 60 at any point during the financial year.
2. Your estimated tax for the financial year is nil after rebates. Deductions.
3. You submit it when your interest income is likely to cross the TDS threshold.
4. You submit it to every deductor and branch where you hold deposits.
5. It is valid for one financial year. Must be refurnished the next year.

The crucial relaxation: a senior citizen can submit Form 15H even if total interest is higher. As long as the final tax payable works out to nil after applicable rebates. Confirm the exact senior-citizen. Super-senior-citizen exemption slabs on the latest official IIBF or Income Tax notification before you file.

Incomes and Sections Covered by Form 15G/15H

These forms are not limited to fixed deposit interest. An eligible person can use them to prevent TDS across several sections of the Income Tax Act.

For the exact tax treatment of dividends. Insurance proceeds in the current year. Always check the latest official Income Tax notification. As these rules are updated periodically.

How to Fill Form 15G and 15H: Field-by-Field

The new Form 15G and Form 15H both have two parts. Understanding this split is the heart of learning how to fill Form 15G. 15H to avoid TDS correctly.

• Part 1 — filled by you, the individual claiming income without TDS.
• Part 2 — filled by the bank or institution responsible for paying the income.

You only complete Part 1. Here is exactly what each field means.

1. Name of Assessee (Declarant). Your name exactly as printed on your PAN card.
2. PAN of the Assessee — your 10-digit PAN. Without it the form is invalid.
3. Status — write "Individual" or "HUF", whichever applies.
4. Previous Year (P.Y.) — the financial year for which you are declaring. Income earned in a financial year is taxed with reference to that year as the "previous year".
5. Residential Status — "Resident". Only resident Indians are eligible for these forms.
6. Flat / Door / Block No. — your address.
7. Name of Premises — your address.
8. Road / Street / Lane — your address.
9. Area / Locality — your address.
10. Town / City / District — your address.
11. State — your state.
12. PIN — your area pincode.
13. Email — your email ID.
14. Telephone / Mobile No. — your contact number.
15. Whether assessed to tax. Write "Yes" if you have filed an income tax return in any of the recent financial years. Then mention the latest assessment year assessed.
16. Estimated income for which this declaration is made. The interest you expect from the specific deposit covered by this form. For example. An FD of Rs 1 lakh at 7.5% for one year gives an estimated income of Rs 7,500.
17. Estimated total income of the P.Y. — your total income from all sources for the year (salary. Interest, and everything else), including the amount in field 16.
18. Details of other Form 15G/15H filed. The number of such forms you have already filed this year. The aggregate income they cover.
19. Details of income for the declaration. Fill the account or investment identification number. The nature of income ("Interest"). The section (for an FD, "194A"), and the amount.

How to Submit Form 15G and 15H: Paper and Online

Thanks to CBDT Notification No. 76/2015 (dated 29 September 2015), the process is far simpler than it used to be. You can now furnish Form 15G. Form 15H in either of two modes. Instead of paper alone.

1. Paper form — download the form. Fill Part 1, attach a PAN copy and submit it at your branch.
2. Electronically / online. Most banks let you submit the declaration through net banking or the mobile app. You can also visit the branch with your FD/RD details. A copy of your PAN.

For exact online steps, log in to your bank's net banking portal and look for the "Form 15G/15H" or "Tax" section under your deposits. Submitting online generates an acknowledgement you should save. You can practise applying banking concepts like these through our mock tests, and explore more explainers in our free guides.

Common Mistakes That Cost People Money

Even a correctly eligible depositor can lose the benefit through small slip-ups. Avoid these.

• Submitting without a PAN. No PAN means the form is rejected. TDS is deducted at 20% under Section 206AA.
• Filing when you are not eligible. If your income is taxable, do not submit the form. A false declaration invites prosecution.
• Forgetting a branch. Hold deposits in four branches? You must file four separate forms. Each branch acts independently.
• Submitting for clubbed income. If interest from a deposit made for a non-earning spouse or child is clubbed with the depositor's income. Form 15G should not be filed in the dependant's name. The depositor's PAN applies and TDS is deducted accordingly.
• Filing too late. If TDS is already deducted before you file. The form cannot reverse it. You must then file an income tax return to claim the refund (assuming nil liability).
• Treating it as a one-time task. The form expires every financial year and must be refurnished.

A Smart Filing Strategy for the Year

To get the full benefit without stress. Treat the declaration as a start-of-year ritual.

1. File your declaration at the beginning of every financial year. Before any interest is credited.
2. Attach a PAN copy with every submission.
3. For joint accounts, the first account holder submits the form.
4. Cover every branch and institution where you hold deposits.
5. Remember these forms are not for NRIs, companies or firms.
6. The form only prevents TDS. You must still file an income tax return if the law requires it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a person without a PAN card submit Form 15G or 15H?

No. Without a valid PAN. The declaration cannot be accepted. The bank will deduct tax at the higher rate of 20% under Section 206AA. Always quote your PAN on the form.

Can an NRI submit Form 15G or Form 15H?

No. Both forms are strictly for residents of India. NRIs.

Companies. Firms are not eligible. Must use other mechanisms to manage tax on Indian income.

What is the difference between Form 15G and Form 15H?

The core difference is age. Form 15G is for resident individuals. HUFs below 60 with nil tax liability and interest within the exemption limit. Form 15H is for resident senior citizens aged 60. Above whose final tax for the year is nil.

What happens if TDS is deducted even after I submit the form?

If TDS was deducted before your form was processed. The bank cannot refund it directly. You will need to file your income tax return to claim the refund. Assuming your tax liability for the year is genuinely nil.

How long is Form 15G/15H valid?

Each form is valid for one financial year only. You must submit a fresh declaration at the start of every new financial year. To every deductor where you hold deposits.

Final Word: Keep Your Money Working

Mastering how to fill Form 15G. 15H to avoid TDS is a small habit with a real payoff. When you genuinely owe no tax. There is no reason to let the bank lock away 10% of your interest for months. You wait for a refund.

File the right form. File it early. File it to every branch, and keep your acknowledgement safe.

For banking aspirants preparing for JAIIB. CAIIB and other IIBF exams. Topics like Section 194A.

TDS and Form 15G/15H are high-yield areas. Understand them once and you carry the marks for life. Always cross-check the latest thresholds.

Slabs on the official IIBF or Income Tax notification before you file.

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