How to Track Your Income Tax Refund After Filing Your ITR?

Submitting your Income Tax Return (ITR) doesn't automatically mean your tax journey is over. If you overpaid tax through tax deducted at source (TDS), Tax Collected at Source (TCS), Advance tax, or self-assessment tax, you can claim a refund. However, it is processed only when the Income Tax Department completes its mandatory verification checks and the taxpayer e-verifies the filed return successfully.

After e-verification, the refund is credited to the taxpayer's bank account within 4-5 weeks (in most cases). Taxpayers can keep track of the income tax refund status through the Income Tax e-filing portal to stay aware of any delays or failures. But the question is: how can you track your refund status? Keep reading further to know the steps to check your income tax refund status, reasons for refund failure, and things to do after a delay in refund.

How to Check Your Income Tax Refund Status?

Before starting the refund tracking process, ensure you have a valid user ID and password for the income tax e-filing portal. Also, you must make sure that your PAN is linked to Aadhaar and you have filed an ITR to claim a refund. After that, follow the steps below to track your income tax refund status:

• Step 1: Go to the Income Tax e-filing portal and log in using your user ID. It generally includes your PAN and password.
• Step 2: Then, find the e-file section → Income Tax Returns → View filed returns.
• Step 3: Choose the relevant assessment year for which you wish to check the refund status.
• Step 4: Click on View Details to check the status of your filed ITR.

The status may show that your return is being processed, refund has been issued, partially or fully adjusted, or has failed. You can also check the lifecycle of the filed return.

Why Refunds May Fail?

According to the Income Tax Department, there can be several reasons for income tax refund failures. The most common reason is the taxpayer's PAN being inoperative due to non-linking with Aadhaar.

The portal will display a warning message in such a situation, and the refund will not be processed until you complete the PAN-Aadhaar linking process. Apart from this, other reasons for income tax refund failure can be;

• Choosing a bank account that is not pre-validated.
• Providing the wrong or invalid IFSC code
• The bank account mentioned in the ITR has been closed.
• Account holder's name not matching with the details available in the PAN database.

What to Do If Your Refund is Delayed?

If you have not received your refund within the expected timeframe, check your status online to confirm that no further action is needed. Also, check your registered email or notices from the Income Tax Department, as they may include information about any mismatch on the return or additional verification requirements.

Link your PAN with Aadhaar and ensure that the bank account you provide for receiving the refund is pre-validated. Further, fill in your bank details accurately to avoid refund delays or failures.

To Conclude

Filing your ITR is only a part of the filing process. You also need to ensure your refund is credited correctly, your PAN is linked to Aadhaar, successful e-verification, and timely follow-up. You can prevent delays in refund with a quick pre-submission checklist. If your refund is delayed or failed, don't worry; check your status on the portal, resolve any mismatches or issues, and revalidate your bank account.

Further, if you need expert assistance with filing your ITR or facing issues with the income tax refund, connect with Savetaxs. Our team can help with the entire ITR filing process, e-verification, and even income tax refund status tracking. Contact us today, as we are actively working 24/7 to ensure your refund reaches you without any unnecessary delays.