ITR Refund Not Credited Yet? Here’s How To Check Its Status

If you are expecting an income tax refund (ITR), the first thing to check is whether you have verified your return. The Income Tax Department (ITD) begins processing a refund only after verification. Filing the return and receiving an acknowledgement are not enough.

A refund arises when the tax paid during the year exceeds the final tax liability. Excess tax deducted at source, advance tax, or self-assessment tax may lead to a refund claim. The amount you claimed in your return, however, can change when the department processes it.

How To Track The Refund

Log in to the ITD’s e-filing portal using your Permanent Account Number (PAN) and password. Under e-File, select ITRs, then View Filed Returns. Find the return for the relevant assessment year (AY) and click View Details. This shows the return’s progress and any action still needed from you.

Check the AY carefully, especially if you have filed returns for more than one year. The page may show that a return is awaiting verification, is being processed, or has been processed. Where a refund has been determined, its status may show that it has been issued, failed, or adjusted, partly or fully, against an outstanding tax demand.

If the return has been processed, download the intimation available alongside it. Compare the department’s calculation with your return before assuming that the full amount you claimed will be paid.

What If The Money Has Not Arrived?

A delay does not, by itself, mean that the refund has been rejected. The department says refunds usually take four to five weeks to reach a taxpayer’s account after verification, but that is a general indication, not a guaranteed date. Check your registered email and the portal for any intimation or pending action.

If the status says the refund has failed, examine the bank account selected for payment. The account must be pre-validated on the e-filing portal. A name mismatch with PAN records, an invalid Indian Financial System Code (IFSC), or a closed account can also prevent the credit. An inoperative PAN can cause a refund to fail.

Once you have corrected the problem and have a validated bank account, log in and go to Services, then Refund Reissue. Create a request, select the failed refund and the account where you want the money credited, and verify the request. You can track that request on the portal.

If the refund was adjusted against a demand you do not recognise, read the intimation and check the demand details before taking further action.

FAQs

1. Does filing an ITR start the refund process?
No. The Income Tax Department begins processing a refund only after you verify your return.

2. Where can I check my refund status?
Log in to the e-filing portal and go to e-File → Income Tax Returns → View Filed Returns. Select the relevant assessment year and click View Details.

3. What should I do if my refund has failed?
Check that your bank account is pre-validated and its details are correct. Once the issue is fixed, submit a request under Services → Refund Reissue.