Many taxpayers across India are worried as ITR refunds for AY 2024–25 are getting delayed more than usual. If you haven’t received your refund yet, don’t panic—there are clear reasons behind this delay, and simple steps you can take to speed up the process.
In this article, we break down why the Income Tax Department is taking longer this year and how you can instantly check your ITR refund status online.
Why Is Your ITR Refund Delayed This Year?
Here are the top reasons behind the slowdown in ITR refund processing:
1️⃣ Mismatch in Form 26AS, AIS, and ITR Details
If the system detects differences between your
- reported income,
- TDS details, or
- financial transactions (AIS),
your refund gets automatically held for verification. - ✔ Tip: Recheck AIS & Form 26AS before filing to avoid delays.
2️⃣ Bank Account Not Validated
The Income Tax Department only sends refunds to validated bank accounts.
If your bank account is:
❌ not pre-validated
❌ not linked with PAN
❌ failed NPCI mapping
→ your refund will be stuck.
3️⃣ ITR Under Scrutiny or Additional Review
If your ITR has:
- unusually high deductions,
- large refunds,
- inconsistent declarations,
it may go for manual review, delaying your refund.
4️⃣ Delayed Verification of ITR
Refund will not be processed unless your filing is verified via:
- Aadhaar OTP
- Net banking
- EVC
If you verified late, refund processing starts late too.
5️⃣ Technical or Server Issues on Income Tax Portal
High-volume months lead to:
- slow processing
- backend delays
- queued refund batches
This is common in July–August.
📌 How to Check Your ITR Refund Status (Step-by-Step)
🔍 Method 1: Check ITR Refund Status on Income Tax Portal
Visit → https://www.incometax.gov.in
Log in with PAN + Password
Go to e-File > Income Tax Returns > View Filed Returns
Select your assessment year
Check your status under:
- Refund Issued
- Refund Failure
- Processed with Refund
- Under Processing
🔍 Method 2: Check Refund Status on TIN / NSDL Portal
Enter your PAN
Select Assessment Year
Submit
You’ll see:
refund dispatched date
failed reason
bank rejection message (if any)
💡 How to Speed Up Your Refund
✔ Revalidate your bank account
✔ Correct mismatches in AIS/26AS
✔ Submit response for any notices
✔ Ensure PAN–Aadhaar linking
✔ Avoid claiming wrong deductions
Explore more tax guides: How to Avoid ITR Mistakes That Trigger Notices (internal link placeholder)