Many taxpayers who filed their Income Tax Returns (ITR) this year are eagerly waiting for their refund. While some have already received it, others are facing delays or cannot see their refund status at all. If you are among those waiting, there is no need to panic. The Income Tax Department has a simple process that allows taxpayers to check the status of their refund directly through the e-filing portal.
An Income Tax Refund is the excess amount returned to taxpayers by the Income Tax Department when they have paid more tax than required. This can happen through TDS (Tax Deducted at Source), TCS (Tax Collected at Source), advance tax, or self-assessment tax. After calculating exemptions, deductions, and final tax liability, the department issues the balance amount back to the taxpayer as a refund.
Usually, refunds are credited within four to five weeks after e-verification of the return. However, if there are discrepancies, missing details, or technical issues, refunds may get delayed.
Before checking the refund status, taxpayers must ensure the following:
PAN-Aadhaar Linking: Your PAN must be linked with Aadhaar. Without this, refunds will fail automatically.
Valid Login Credentials: A user ID and password for the e-filing portal are necessary.
Bank Account Details: The bank account provided in the ITR must be correct and pre-validated.
If these requirements are not met, the refund process may not be successful.
Taxpayers can easily check the progress of their refunds by logging into the e-filing portal. Follow these steps:
Visit the official Income Tax e-filing portal.
Log in using your User ID (PAN) and password.
If your PAN is not linked with Aadhaar, a pop-up message will notify you that your PAN is inactive. You can click “Link Now” to complete the process.
Navigate to the “e-File” tab and select Income Tax Returns.
Click on “View Filed Returns.”
Choose the relevant assessment year. You will now see the refund status.
The portal will display whether your refund has been:
Issued
Partially adjusted against pending demands
Failed due to incorrect details
For more clarity, click “View Details” to track the complete life cycle of your filed return.
If your refund has not been processed or has failed, some of the most common reasons include:
Bank account not pre-validated – Pre-validation of bank accounts is now mandatory.
Mismatch in name – The name in your bank account does not match the PAN details.
Incorrect IFSC code – Wrong IFSC entered in the ITR can cause payment failure.
Closed bank account – If the account provided in the ITR is inactive or closed, the refund will fail.
If your refund is delayed, verify that:
Your ITR has been e-verified successfully.
Your bank account is active and pre-validated.
PAN is linked with Aadhaar.
There are no pending tax dues from previous years.
In case of discrepancies, update your bank details on the e-filing portal and revalidate the account.
While waiting for a tax refund can feel stressful, the process of checking your refund status online is quick, secure, and transparent. By ensuring PAN-Aadhaar linking, accurate bank details, and timely e-verification, taxpayers can avoid unnecessary delays.
If your refund is still pending, logging into the e-filing portal will provide clarity on the exact status and the reason for any delay.
