How to check your ITR Refund Status for FY 2024-25 (AY 2025-26)?

If you paid more taxes to the government than your actual liability, you can request a refund for the excess amount. This extra payment occurs due to excessive tax deductions, self-assessment tax, or overpayment of advance tax. If you are in this situation, you can claim your refund back from the ITR Department. The Income Tax Department has made an online facility to help you easily track your ITR refund status by entering your PAN (Permanent Account Number) and the applicable Assessment Year. Once you have E-verified your return, the tax refund process will be initiated, typically taking 4-5 weeks for the income tax refund to be deposited into your bank account. If the Income Tax refund is delayed, you should check for intimation on any discrepancies or errors in your ITR (Login to e-filing portal > e-File > Income Tax Returns > View filed returns). Ensure you check the email notifications from the Income Tax Department regarding your refund status. This guide explains the Income Tax refund, how to claim the refund, how to check the ITR refund status in various ways, and more. IndiaFilings helps you with ITR return filing & keep track of your ITR refund status with end-to-end assistance!!

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What is an Income Tax Refund?

An income tax refund is the amount returned by the income tax department when the taxes paid, including TDS, TCS, Advance Tax, or Self-Assessment Tax, exceed the actual tax payable for the year. This calculation considers all deductions and exemptions made during the assessment by the income tax department. It might exceed your tax liability, calculated by applying tax rates to your taxable income. The refund process begins only after the taxpayer's return is e-verified. Typically, the refund amount takes several weeks to be credited to the taxpayer's account.

The following formula represents the Income tax refund and how it is potentially calculated, Income Tax Refund = Total Taxes Paid for the Financial Year ( TDS + TCS + Advance Tax + Self-Assessment tax) + Actual Tax Liability for the Year

Also read: How to file your ITR returns?

How to Check your ITR Refund Status?

There are two methods to check the ITR refund status,

On the Income tax e-filing website
On the NSDL TIN website portal

Let’s see how to check the status of your income tax refund on each of the cases,

Method 1: Using the Income Tax E-Filing Website

To check the ITR refund status on the income tax e-filing website, you must have a valid User ID and Password, a PAN linked to your Aadhaar number, and an ITR filed claiming a refund. Here’s the instructions to check the status.

Step 1: Visit the Income Tax Department's e-filing portal
Step 2: Log in using your credentials.
Step 3: Navigate to the "e-File" section.
Step 4: Select "Income Tax Returns" followed by "View Filed Returns."
Step 5: Choose the assessment year for which you want to check the refund status.
Step 6: Click on "View Details" for a specific return.
Step 7: The refund status will be displayed under the "Refund Status" section.

Method 2: Using the NSDL TIN portal

The following steps can be used to check the refund status on the NSDL TIN Portal

Step 1: Go to the NSDL TIN website
Step 2: Enter your PAN and the relevant assessment year.
Step 3: Click on "Submit."
Step 4: The refund status will be displayed, provided it's been processed by the Assessing Officer and sent to the Refund Banker (usually within 10 days).

What is the Meaning of your Refund status statements?

Understanding the status of your Income Tax Return (ITR) refund can help you know where you stand in the process and what actions, if any, you need to take. Below are common statuses you may encounter, along with their meanings:

No Result Found: This indicates that the system was unable to check the filing and e-verification status for the provided PAN and Acknowledgement numbers. Ensure the details entered are correct.
Refund is already credited to your bank, please contact your bank: Your refund has been processed and credited to your bank account. If not credited, contact CMP.
Refund cheque has already been encashed: The refund has been credited to your bank account and encashed. If not credited, contact CMP.
Refund Not Determined: No refund is determined after processing your ITR.
Unable to credit refund as the account number provided by you is incorrect: The provided account number is incorrect. Apply for a refund reissue using the correct account number.
Defective return u/s 139(9) or ITR filed is defective or incomplete: Your return is treated as defective. Check the specific reason on your income tax website account.
ITR Processed but need to submit rectification request: There is a mismatch in the calculation between the department and your filed ITR. Submit a rectification request.
Return submitted. Processing rights transferred to Jurisdictional Assessing Officer (AO): Your return will be processed by your Jurisdictional Assessing Officer. Contact AO for further details.
Pending for e-verification: Your return has been submitted but not e-verified. Verify your return within 30 days from the date of filing.
Processed with no demand/refund: Your return has been processed with no additional tax payable or refund due. Check the details from the intimation received u/s 143(1).
Processed with demand due: Your income has been assessed, and a tax payable amount has been determined. Submit your response through the e-Filing website.
Processed with refund due: Your refund claim has been forwarded to the refund banker for processing. Wait for the refund to be credited.
Refund failure: The refund could not be credited due to incorrect bank details. Place a refund reissue request.
e-Return for this PAN and Acknowledgement Number has been digitally signed: Your return has been successfully filed and digitally signed.
Under Processing: Your ITR is still being processed. No need to worry if you have e-verified or sent your signed ITR V by post.
Refund issued or Refund Re-issued: Your return and refund have been processed successfully, and the refund has been credited to your bank account.
Return Submitted and Verified: Your return has been submitted and successfully verified. It will be processed soon.
Invalid original return, File Revised Return: Your return is treated as invalid. File your return again.
Return Processed and Rectification Rights Transferred To Assessing Officer: Your return has been processed, but rectification rights have been transferred to the Assessing Officer.
Return Processed. Refund Adjusted Against Demand: Any outstanding amount is adjusted with the current year's refund. Submit your response to the notice u/s 245.
ITR Accepted: Your ITR has been successfully received at CPC Bangalore and is pending processing.
ITR-V rejected: Your return has been treated as defective.
Return Submitted and verified after due date: Your ITR-V was received after the due date. You need to file your return again.
Successfully e-Verified after due date: Your e-verification request is forwarded for approval. Your ITR will be treated as invalid until approved.
Rectification processed with refund due: Your rectification request has been processed, and a refund has been generated.
Rectification processed with no demand/refund: Your rectification request has been processed with no demand or refund due.
Processed and partially refund adjusted: Any previous demand is adjusted with the current year's refund.
Under Processing Original return will not be considered, as revised return is taken up for processing: A revised return has replaced the original ITR and is under processing.
Another Return filed: Another return has been filed. Check the status using the latest acknowledgement number.
Refund Re-issue failure: Your refund re-issue request failed due to incorrect details. Raise a new request.
Rectification filed: Your rectification request has been filed and is being processed.

Time duration for Receiving an Income tax refund

The timeframe for receiving your income tax refund can vary depending on the Income Tax Department's internal processing. While it can take anywhere from 7 to 120 days on average, there have been significant improvements. The department has implemented a new system aiming for much faster processing, with a target turnaround of just a few days instead of months. This is reflected in the reduced average ITR processing times. For instance, returns filed in Assessment Year (AY) 2023-24 are now processed in an average of 10 days, compared to 82 days in AY 2019-20.

What to do if the ITR refund is delayed?

If your Income tax refund is delayed beyond a reasonable time, typically 4-5 weeks, you can take the following steps:

Re-check the Refund Status: Use the mentioned methods to confirm the latest status.
Verify PAN-Aadhaar Linking: Ensure your PAN is linked with your Aadhaar for a smooth refund process.
Download Form 26AS: This form reflects your tax credit history, including any processed refunds. You can download it from the e-filing portal.
Contact the CPC (Centralized Processing Center): If the issue persists, you can contact the CPC through their communication channels for further assistance. Details on contacting the CPC can be found on the Income Tax Department website.

Learn more: ITR refund delay and how to resolve it?

What are the Reasons for your ITR Refund Rejection?

The Income tax Department may schedule to credit the refund amount, but it might be failed for the following reasons:

Bank account pre-validation not done: Pre-validating your bank account with the Income Tax Department ensures its legitimacy for receiving the refund.
Mismatch between bank account and PAN details: Any discrepancy between the name on your PAN card and the name associated with your bank account can cause issues.
Invalid IFSC code: The IFSC code is crucial for routing the refund to your specific bank branch. An incorrect code will lead to a failed deposit.
Closed bank account: If the bank account you provided in your ITR has been closed, the refund will not be credited.

Ensure all ITR information is accurate, e-verify your ITR on time, pre-validate your bank account, and verify the name, IFSC code, and account status before filing. These practices prevent your ITR refund from being rejected.

Refund re-issue request

The following steps can be followed in case of re-issuing a income tax refund request due to errors in processing:

Step 1: Visit income tax e-filing website
Step 2: Click on the ‘My Account’ tab and choose the ‘Service Request’ option.
Step 3: Choose the request type as ‘New Request’ and the request category as ‘Refund Reissue’.
Step 4: A new screen would appear showing details such as PAN, return type, assessment year, acknowledgement number, communication reference number, and response.
Step 5: Click on ‘Submit’.
Step 6: The system will immediately prompt you to submit the taxpayer's Bank and address information.
Step 7: The application will then further pass through a verification process using an electronic verification code (EVC) or digital signature certificate (DSC), after which the process will be completed.

What is the Interest for Delayed ITR Refund?

The Income Tax Department offers some compensation for delayed refunds caused by their own processing. Section 244A of the Income Tax Act allows you to claim interest on your refund. This applies to refunds that are delayed and meet a minimum threshold - they must be greater than or equal to 10% of the total tax you paid. The interest rate is calculated at 0.5% per month (or 6% annually) from April 1st until the day you receive your refund. It's important to note that this interest only applies if you filed your return before the due date. No interest will be paid if your refund amount falls below the 10% threshold.

Conclusion

In conclusion, you can check your ITR refund status on the Income Tax Department e-filing website or the NSDL TIN portal using your PAN and the assessment year. It typically takes 4-5 weeks to receive the refund in your bank account. If your refund is delayed, you can check the status again, verify your PAN-Aadhaar linking, or contact the CPC for further assistance. IndiaFilings helps you file your ITR returns, keep track of the ITR refund status, and help if there is an error when providing an ITR refund.

File your ITR returns & ensure the excess amount is refunded with IndiaFilings experts!!