Income Tax Refund: Is your refund also stuck? Don't panic if you see a 'hold' message, just do this simple thing..

Income Tax Refund: More than 15 days have passed since the new year began. That means half of January is already over, but you still haven't received your income tax refund? And if you've also received a message from the Income Tax Department about a 'risk management process' or your refund being 'held', then this news is for you. Taxpayers often get worried when they receive a message about their refund being stuck, but experts say there's nothing to fear. Let's find out why the refund gets delayed and what you should do immediately.

Why does the refund get stuck?
According to the Income Tax Department, when a discrepancy is found between the data in the filed ITR and the information available with the department (such as Form 26AS, AIS, or TIS), the system flags it as a risk. Key reasons for this include errors in income and investment claims, uploading incorrect receipts or documents, and not pre-validating the bank account.

What to do after receiving the message?
If you have received a message about your refund being held, follow these steps:

First, check if there were any typing errors or incorrect information provided while filling out the form.
Log in to your account and check the 'Pending Actions' or 'Worklist' section to see if any notice or response is required.
If there is a message, respond immediately. The longer you delay, the longer the refund will take.

Keep in mind that the Income Tax Department may ask you for certain receipts. If you have claimed investments, keep the receipts handy. If you have accidentally submitted incorrect receipts, provide the correct information to the department promptly. As soon as you submit the necessary documents online, your pending refund will be released immediately. If everything is correct and there is still a delay, you can register a complaint with the department's grievance cell.

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