How to Check Income Tax Refund (ITR) Status

An income tax refund is a refund amount initiated by the income tax department if the amount paid by the assessee in taxes exceeds the actual amount due (either by way of TDS or TCS, advance tax, or Advance Tax or Self-Assessment Tax). The tax is calculated after considering all the deductions and exemptions at the time of assessment by the income tax department. Refund processing by the tax department starts only after the taxpayer has e-verified the return. In this article, we will guide you through the step-by-step process of how to check ITR refund status.

Requirements To Check Income Tax Return Status

To check ITR refund status, the following are the pre-requisites:

1. A valid user ID and password
2. PAN linked to the Aadhaar number
3. Filed ITR for the relevant fiscal year
4. Updated account details in the ITR to receive the refund.

How To Check Income Tax Refund Status?

There are two ways in which you can track income tax refund status:

1. Through the Income Tax e-filing portal
2. Through the TIN NSDL portal

Step-By-Step Guide To Checking ITR Refund Status:

Step 1: Go to the e-filing portal homepage.

Step 2: Enter your user ID and password, with your PAN being the default user ID.
For individual users without linked Aadhaar, there will be a pop-up message indicating the need for the PAN-Aadhaar linkage. Users can proceed to link or, if already linked, continue without linking.

Step 3: Navigate to the e-file tab > Income Tax Returns > View Filed Returns.

Step 4: Check income tax refund status for the desired assessment year by clicking on "View Details." This section also provides information about the ITR life cycle, detailing the time from filing to refund issuance.

Step-By-Step Guide On How To Check Income Tax Refund Status Through TIN NSDL Portal:

Step 1: Go to the TIN NSDL Portal.

Step 2: On the homepage, enter the following details:

• PAN
• Assessment Year (AY 2024-25 in this case)
• Captcha Code

Step 3: Click on ‘Proceed’ to check the ITR refund status.

Must Read: A Comparison of Old and New Tax Regimes: Which Is Better In 2023?

Different Types Of Income Tax Refund Status And What They Mean

Status 1: When an ITR refund is issued:

In the Filed Returns section on the E-filing portal, you will see the ITR refund status as ‘Processed with refund due’. It means that the Income Tax Department has issued you a full income tax refund, and you can check the date, mode, and amount of the refund under the ‘Refund Issued’ heading.

Status 2: When the refund is partially adjusted:

In the Filed Returns section on E-filing portal, you will see the Income Tax Refund Status as  ‘Processed with Partially Refund Adjusted’. It means that the Income Tax Department has adjusted the advance tax or TDS paid by you against the income tax due, and the balance amount has been refunded to you. You can check the date, mode, and amount of refund details under the ‘Refund Issued’ heading.

Status 3: When the full refund is adjusted:

In the Filed Returns section on the E-filing portal, the Income Tax refund status will be  ‘Processed and full Refund adjusted’. It means that the Income Tax Department has adjusted the full advance tax, or TDS, paid by you against the income tax due. No income tax refund was due by the IT Department.

Status 4: When refund is failed:

You will find the itr refund status as  ‘Refund Failure’. You can find the following details under this heading:

• Date of Failure
• Reason of Failure
• Date of Communication
• Email ID
• You will also find an option to ‘Submit Refund Reissue’.

Reasons For Refund Failure

Inactive PAN:

If your PAN status is inoperative, the income tax return status will not proceed. In such cases, you'll receive a warning message, prompting you to link your PAN with your Aadhaar.

Unvalidated Financial Account:

It is now mandatory to pre-validate your financial account. If this step is skipped, the ITR refund status process will encounter difficulties.

Discrepancy In Account Name:

A discrepancy between the name mentioned in your account and the details on your PAN card can lead to refund failure.

Invalid IFSC Code:

Entering an incorrect or invalid IFSC code can hinder the income tax refund status process. Double-check this code before submitting your return.

Closed Account:

If the account you mentioned in your ITR has been closed, the refund will be rejected. It's crucial to ensure that the account provided is active and operational.

How To Apply For A Income Tax Refund Status Re-issue?

Income Tax refunds are directed to a pre-validated financial account. In cases where a itr refund status does not go through as intended, taxpayers have the option to initiate a service request within the e-filing portal upon receiving communication from the CPC. 

The steps to raise a Refund Re-issue requests are as follows:

1. Log in to the Income Tax e-filing portal.
2. Go to the 'My Account' menu, then click on the 'Service Request' link.
3. Choose 'New Request' as the Request Type and Refund Reissue' as the Request Category. Then, click 'Submit'.
4. Essential details such as PAN, Return Type, Assessment Year (AY), Acknowledgment Number, Communication Reference Number, Reason for Refund Failure, and Response will be presented.
5. Locate the 'Submit' option below the 'Response' column. A list of prevalidated financial accounts with validated or EVC-enabled status will be displayed.
6. Opt for the account where the tax refund is to be deposited and click 'Continue'. This step provides specifics such as Account Number, IFSC, Financial Institution Name, and Account Type for the taxpayer to cross-check.
7. If the displayed details are accurate, click 'OK' in the pop-up. This will prompt the appearance of e-verification options in the dialogue box. Select the suitable e-verification mode, generate and input the Electronic Verification Code (EVC)/Aadhaar OTP as required, and proceed with the submission of the request.

To View The Income Tax Refund Status Of The Submitted Re-Issue Request:

1. Logon to the ‘e-Filing’ Portal https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/

2. Go to ‘My Account > Click ‘Service Request. Select the ‘Request Type’ as ‘View Request’ and the ‘Request Category’ as ‘Refund Reissue’.

3. Click ‘Submit’.

Must Read: New Tax Regime FY 2023-24: Advantages And Disadvantages

Conclusion

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