Income Tax Refund Status: Haven't received your ITR refund yet? Find out where the process is stuck..

Income Tax Refund Status: Did you also file your income tax return (ITR) on time, but haven't received your refund yet? If you are one of the millions of taxpayers who check their bank balance every morning, then this news is for you. The tax department has clarified that the delay in refunds is not due to any technical glitch, but rather due to some small mistakes on your part. This news explains where and why your refund might be stuck.

Non-pre-validation of the bank account
The tax department now only sends money to accounts that are pre-validated on the portal. If you have opened a new account or have not updated your old account details, the refund may show a failed status. In this case, quickly go to the e-filing portal and validate your account in the 'My Bank Account' section.

Department's scrutiny of high-value refunds
According to the CBDT, this year, the department is thoroughly investigating refunds where the refund amount is very high or where taxpayers have claimed deductions (such as HRA, 80C) separately in addition to Form-16. The department wants to ensure that these claims are not fraudulent.

Delay in e-verification
Filing the ITR is not enough. It is also necessary to e-verify it within 30 days of filing. If you have not yet verified it through Aadhaar OTP, your return will not be processed, and you can forget about the refund.

Mismatch in data
If there is even a slight difference between the income you have declared and the information shown in your AIS (Annual Information Statement) or 26AS, the system will withhold your refund. Not declaring income from cryptocurrency or online gaming can also be costly.

How to check your refund status
Log in to the Income Tax portal.
Go to the e-File tab and click on Income Tax Returns.
Go to View Filed Returns. Here you can check the status of your latest return. If you see the "Refund Reissue" option, it means there was an error in your bank details.

Expert Advice
Tax experts say that if your refund is stuck, you should definitely check your pending actions tab. The department has sent notices to many taxpayers via message, and failure to respond could result in the refund being permanently withheld.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from NDTV India. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.