ITR Refund Delay: Why Income Tax Refunds Are Late and What Taxpayers Should Do
Over the past week, many taxpayers have taken to social media complaining about delays in receiving their income tax refunds, even five months after filing their returns. Clarifying the issue, the Income Tax Department has stated that income tax returns (ITRs) are being scrutinised more rigorously this year, leading to slower processing and delayed refunds in several cases.
Mumbai, January 16: Over the past week, many taxpayers have taken to social media complaining about delays in receiving their income tax refunds, even five months after filing their returns. Clarifying the issue, the Income Tax Department has stated that income tax returns (ITRs) are being scrutinised more rigorously this year, leading to slower processing and delayed refunds in several cases.
Income tax refunds are commonly delayed when returns are not fully processed or when mismatches and compliance issues are detected. One of the most frequent reasons is failure to verify the ITR after filing. Filing the return alone is not sufficient. Taxpayers must verify their ITR through Aadhaar OTP, net banking, electronic verification code (EVC), or by sending a signed ITR-V to CPC Bengaluru. An unverified return is treated as invalid, and no refund is issued. Income Tax Refund Delays: Know the Reasons of Delay, Interest Rules and How To Check Status.
This year, the department has intensified checks to match income details declared in the ITR with Form 26AS, the Annual Information Statement (AIS), and the Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS). Any mismatch between these records can flag the return for further review, resulting in refund delays. Refunds may also be held up due to outstanding tax demands, issuance of an intimation under Section 143(1) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, or incorrect bank account details mentioned in the return. Income Tax Refund Delays for AY 2025-26: Why Taxpayers Are Still Waiting and What You Can Do.
What Should Taxpayers Do If Their Refund Is Delayed?
Taxpayers should not panic. The first step is to log in to the income tax e-filing portal and check for notices under the “Pending Actions” tab. Download the intimation and carefully compare it with your filed return, Form 26AS and AIS. If the department’s calculation is correct, accept it. If you find an error, submit a response with valid supporting documents promptly.
How To Track Your Income Tax Refund Status
Visit the Income Tax India website and log in using your PAN, password and captcha. Go to “View Returns / Forms”, select “Income Tax Returns”, choose the assessment year, and click on the relevant ITR acknowledgement number to check your refund status.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 16, 2026 10:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).