Why is Your Income Tax Refund Delayed?
After filing your ITR, if the total tax deducted at source (TDS), advance tax, and TCS exceed your final tax liability, you are entitled to an income tax refund under Section 237 along with 0.5% monthly interest under Section 244A.
Top Reasons for Refund Failures
- Bank Account Not Pre-Validated: Bank account not validated on the portal or PAN is not linked with the bank account.
- Name Mismatch: Name on the PAN card differs from the official name registered in core banking records.
- Account Closed or Inactive: Bank account provided during filing is dormant or IFSC code has changed due to bank mergers.
- Outstanding Tax Demand Adjustment: Refund withheld under Section 245 against past assessment year demands.
How to Pre-Validate Bank Account for Direct Credit
- Log in to e-Filing portal > Go to Profile > My Bank Accounts.
- Click Add Bank Account, enter Account Number, Account Type, IFSC code.
- Ensure the mobile number matches the Aadhaar-linked number for instantaneous validation.
- Enable the account for Refund Nominated.
How to Submit Refund Re-issue Request
If your refund failed with an SMS notification, go to Services > Refund Re-issue > Create Refund Re-issue Request, select your validated bank account, and verify with Aadhaar OTP.