December 2025 concentrates several time-bound updates. Aadhaar and PAN linking, year-end income tax return options, pension formalities, and a bank transfer change all sit on this month’s calendar. Keeping KYC, contact details, and bank mandates aligned supports smooth settlements and payouts in a demat account and on online share trading platforms.
Basic Understanding
December activity sits in three areas. First, identity and filing items such as Aadhaar and PAN linkage and the year-end window for belated or revised returns. Second, pension requirements that depend on annual verification or scheme choices. Third, service updates from banks that can alter a feature used for transfers. Keeping essentials like PAN status, contact details, and bank mandates aligned helps trading and settlements run smoothly across the month.
Aadhaar and PAN Linking
Here is the Aadhaar and PAN linking information you need:
What the linkage involves
Aadhaar and PAN linkage aligns personal details across systems so that tax credits, refunds, and high-value reports map to the correct profile. Where linkage applies, the status should show as active in your account.
What to keep ready
- PAN, Aadhaar, and the same mobile and email across all profiles
- Acknowledgment or reference number after completing the process
- A short note of the date you updated details.
Why investors care
If PAN shows as inoperative for a category that requires linkage, some processes can pause until the status is corrected. For a demat account, matched identity details reduce delays in dividend credits and corporate actions. Brokers and depository participants typically mirror the duplicate base records, so one clean update helps everywhere.
Income Tax Returns in December
Here are the key things you should know about the income tax returns in December:
Belated and revised returns
Year-end is commonly the last chance to file a belated return or to revise an earlier filing for the previous financial year. Prepare the latest Form 26AS and AIS reconciliation, interest statements, and deduction proofs. If the last date passes, further corrections usually fall under a different return provision that has its own additional amounts and timelines.
Audit-case returns
Assessees whose accounts require audit work to a separate calendar that falls in early December. Coordinate with the auditor so that the tax audit report and the return reference the same schedules and numbers. Save the filing acknowledgment, the audit report reference, and the computation in a single folder.
Helpful records for traders
- Contract notes and realised gain reports from your broker
- Payout statements and bank statements for the same period
- Capital gains working by segment: equity delivery, intraday, derivatives
Pensions and Scheme Choices
The following is a detailed explanation:
Annual Life Certificate
Government pensioners submit a Life Certificate once a year, with the usual window closing at the end of November. If the submission is pending, the certificate can typically be furnished through designated counters or a Digital Life Certificate facility. Keep the receipt until continuity reflects in the next pension credit.
NPS to UPS switch status
For central government employees, the switch window between the National Pension System and the Unified Pension Scheme has been reported as closed at the end of November. Employees who opted in should retain the employer acknowledgement and updated contribution records. Those who did not opt in can follow formal circulars for any future clarifications.
Banking and Payments
Key information about banking and payments:
SBI mCASH change
State Bank of India has discontinued the mCASH feature. Customers can continue transfers using UPI, IMPS, NEFT, or RTGS. Users who relied on mCASH should update beneficiary lists, check daily limits, and adjust saved workflows in the app so regular payments continue without friction.
For Investors Using a Demat Account and Online Share Trading
Here is what investors should know:
KYC and profile hygiene`
A trading account, a demat account, and the linked bank account operate as one chain. If a mobile number, email, or address changes in December, update all three in the same sitting. This supports OTP delivery, pledging, e-mandates, and payouts.
Settlement readiness
Review your margin statements, open pledges, and collateral list. Release pledges that are no longer required and confirm that corporate action preferences are captured correctly. If you expect dividends or buyback proceeds, ensure your bank mandate is current.
Year-end file pack
- Profit and loss statement and realised gains from the broker’s back office
- Contract notes for high-value dates and any off-market transfers
- TDS certificates and interest summaries from banks and mutual fund platforms
Practical checks
- Match PAN and Aadhaar details across e-filing, broker, depository, and bank profiles.
- Confirm nominee details in the demat account and in the linked bank account.
- Store PDF acknowledgements for PAN linkage, ITR filing, and Life Certificate in one folder
Bottom Line
December 2025 concentrates identity linkage, income tax formalities, pension proofs, and a bank service update into a single month. Working through the items that apply to you and keeping a neat record trail helps demat account activity and online share trading continue without avoidable delays. This note is informational and does not include market opinions or product recommendations.
