An income tax refund means a refund amount that is initiated by the income tax department if the amount paid in taxes exceeds the actual amount due (either by way of TDS or TCS or Advance Tax or Self-Assessment Tax). To be eligible for an income tax refund, the taxpayer must file an income tax return. Usually, it takes 4 to 6 weeks to process a return and receive a refund after you have filed your IT returns and verified the same. Hence, it is quite common to be curious to know the Income Tax Refund status of their ITR and eligible refund.
A taxpayer will be able to check Income Tax refund status in two ways, via the Income Tax Portal and from the NSDL Portal.
How to check Income Tax refund status using the NSDL Portal?
1. Visit the TIN NSDL website,
Enter the PAN and select the relevant assessment year for which the status of the refund is to be checked, enter the captcha code and click on Proceed
2. On the next screen, you can view the details of the refund status
Details include PAN, Assessment Year, Mode of Payment, Reference Number, Status, Account Number, and Date.
How to check Income Tax Refund status using Income Tax Portal?
- Go to the e-filing Income Tax portal homepage.
On the Income Tax Portal, Under ‘Quick Links’, you will find an option called ‘Know Your Refund Status’. Click on it.
- Enter the required information.
Enter the PAN and AY along with the Aadhar-linked mobile number for which refund status is required.
- Enter OTP.
Enter the OTP and click continue. The OTP is valid for the next 15 min and 3 attempts are allowed.
- View Details
The details of the refund status are specified after entering the OTP.
Types of Income Tax Refund Status
Once a taxpayer files his return, they want to know the status of their refund. IT Department has classified different refund statuses for the taxpayer. It is important to understand the meaning of refund status since refund status determines the next course of action that needs to be taken by the taxpayer.
| Refund Status | Meaning | Action |
| Refund Issued | The return is processed and a refund is deposited in the Bank Account. | Check your bank for the refund received. |
| No demand No refund | You are neither eligible for any refund nor you are required to pay tax. | Review the comparison received from the IT department if you have claimed a refund and file a rectified return if required. |
| Refund failure | The refund has been accepted by the IT department but was not paid due to an error in bank details as bank details are not prevalidated | Please update the correct details on the income tax portal and validate the bank account. And raise a refund reissue request |
| Refund status not determined | Your ITR has not been processed yet. | Recheck the status after a few days. |
| Demand determined | Your tax calculation does not match with that of the IT department and an additional tax has to be paid. | Verify the calculation provided in intimation u/s 143(1) to figure out the mismatch/error. In case of error, make a payment to the IT Department within the specified timeline. In case of nil error, file a rectification along with all the supporting information and documents to justify your refund claim. |
How to request a Refund Reissue?
There could be various reasons for the refund failure. In case of refund failure, a taxpayer can create a refund reissue request on the Income Tax Portal. Following are the steps:
1. Login into the e-filing Portal. Navigate to Services > Refund Reissue.
2. Click on Create Refund Reissue Request
3. Select the acknowledgement number and details for an ITR to raise a request, click on Continue
4. Select the validated bank accounts in which you want to receive the refund amount and click on Proceed to Verification
5. On the e-Verify page, select the method of verification from the given options and submit the request.
After the successful submission of a request, a success tab will be displayed, and you can view the Refund Reissue Requests.
FAQs
The Income Tax department will directly credit the refund to the primary bank account you specified in your income tax return.
If you do not receive your refund within 4 to 6 weeks then you may check your refund status and understand its meaning. Accordingly, you can raise a refund reissue request.
Yes. You can check the ITR refund status of previously filed returns as well. All you need to do is select the Assessment year accordingly. For example: If you wish to check the refund for FY 2015-16 then you need to select AY 2016-17 and you can check the refund status.
Hi @emmy
You can make a Refund Reissue request with the correct account details.
Hi @shashank_udupa, Any excess tax paid on LTCG/STCG will be given as refund. Refund cant be claimed otherwise.
I have submitted my ITR two months back, and I have to receive around 40000 in a refund. I want to know when it will be processed.
Hey,
Income Tax Department issues the refund only after processing your ITR. Generally, it takes 30-45 days from the date of the e-verification of your Income Tax Return to get your refund credited. Make sure that you have e-verified your ITR since the ITD does not process your return until it is verified.
You can track your Income tax refund status using this tool.
Learn more about types of Income-tax refund status.
Hi ,
I had received an ITR refund last year(and some interest on it) , do we have to include the refund amount(or the interest earned on it) of previous year in current ITR filing for FY21-22, asking this since there is a field "From IT refund " under Income earned from interest. Kindly let me know if this is the case or can I leave it blank. Please explain in a detailed manner if possible . Thanks
in advance
@Sakshi_Shah1 can you please help?
Hey @Sheirsh_Saxena
Interest on Income Tax Refund is a taxable income under the head Income From Other Sources (IFOS). You need not report the amount of tax refund. However, the interest amount must be reported under IFOS and is taxed at applicable slab rates. Further, the amount is reflected under AIS i.e. Annual Information Statement too. You should verify the amount and enter the same in your income tax return to avoid tax notice for mismatch.
In the AIS(for assessment year 2022-23) the mentioned amount is 28540, how much of it is interest, where do I check it. The refund amount is mentioned for the assessment year 2021-22 , as “ECS (direct credit to bank account)”. SO what amount should I mentioned is it the complete 28540, or only interest component on it
Hey @Sheirsh_Saxena
The difference in the amount of refund claimed in the ITR and the refund issued by the ITD is the interest on income tax refund. Alternatively, the breakdown of refund and interest is also reflected in Form 26AS available on the income tax website.
But in my form 26AS , Part D - Details of Paid Refund is empty