After filing and e-verifying an Income Tax Return (ITR), taxpayers generally wait for their refund to reach their bank account. In many cases, the Income Tax Department processes refunds within around four to five weeks after successful e-verification. However, a refund can sometimes be delayed because of errors in the ITR, incorrect bank details, or incomplete verification.
If you claimed an income tax refund before July 31 and the portal shows that it has been processed but the amount has not reached your bank account, you should check the following points.
How to Check Your Income Tax Refund Status
The first step is to find out exactly what has happened to your refund. You can check its status online through the Income Tax e-filing portal.
- Log in to the official Income Tax e-filing website.
- Go to e-File > Income Tax Returns > View Filed Returns.
- Select the relevant Assessment Year.
- Click on View Details to see the current refund status.
The portal may display statuses such as Refund Issued, Refund Partially Adjusted, Refund Adjusted, Refund Fully Adjusted or Refund Failed.
Therefore, receiving a notification that your refund has been processed does not necessarily mean that the money has already been credited to your bank account.
Refund Issued But Money Not Received? Check Bank Details
If the portal says that the refund has been issued but you have not received the amount, carefully verify the bank account details linked to your ITR.
A valid and successfully validated bank account is required for receiving an income tax refund. If necessary, taxpayers can add another bank account and complete the validation process through the e-filing portal.
Why Can an Income Tax Refund Fail?
There can be several reasons behind a failed refund. Common issues include:
- Bank account not being successfully validated
- Name mismatch between PAN and bank records
- Incorrect IFSC code
- Wrong bank account number
- Bank account being closed or inactive
- Problems with PAN-bank account linkage
- Aadhaar-related linkage or validation issues
Identifying and correcting the specific problem can help taxpayers initiate the refund process again.
How to Re-Validate Your Bank Account
Taxpayers can check their bank account status from the My Bank Account section of the Income Tax e-filing portal.
If an earlier validation attempt was unsuccessful, correct the relevant details and submit the account for re-validation. Check your name, PAN-bank linkage, account number and account status carefully. If the account has been closed or become inactive, use a valid bank account instead.