How to verify your income tax refund status online: a step-by-step guide

The anticipation of receiving a refund after filing your taxes can be nerve-wracking. Fortunately, the Income Tax Department provides an easy way to check your income tax refund status online. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to check your income tax refund status using the Income Tax Department's online facilities.

Prerequisites for checking income tax refund status
 

Before you check the status of your income tax refund, ensure you have the following:

• PAN (Permanent Account Number)
• Aadhaar number
• Bank account number
• Date of filing ITR
• Mode of filing ITR - either digital or paper

Your PAN number is mandatory to check your income tax refund status. Linking your PAN with Aadhaar will further ease the refund process.

Facilities to check income tax refund status
 

The Income Tax Department provides the following online facilities to check the status of your income tax refund:

Income tax e-filing portal
 

The Income Tax e-filing portal allows taxpayers who have filed their ITR online to check their refund status. Follow these steps:

1. Go to https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/

2. Log in with your User ID, Password, Date of Birth/Date of Incorporation and Captcha Code

3. Go to My Account > View Returns/Forms

4. Select “Income Tax Returns” and the relevant Assessment Year

5. Click on “View Details” next to the filed ITR

6. Scroll down to find the latest status of your income tax refund under the “Status of Tax Refunds” section

This will display the current refund status - whether it is pending, issued, or failed. It shows the stage of processing for pending refunds.

Income tax website
 

You can also check refund status on the Income Tax Department's website - https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/ using just your PAN number:

1. Go to ‘Services’ > ‘Refund Status’

2. Select ‘Income Tax Refund Status’

3. Enter your PAN Number and Captcha Code

4. Click on ‘Submit’

This will display refund details if any refund is due, along with the latest status.

CPC call center
 

You can also check your income tax refund status by calling the Income Tax Department's toll-free number 1800 4250 0025. For your latest refund status update, share your PAN and confirm your details.

TIN-NSDL website
 

If you have not filed your ITR through the Income Tax e-filing portal, you can check your refund status on the TIN-NSDL website:

1. Go to https://tin.tin.nsdl.com/oltas/refundstatuslogin.html

2. Enter your PAN Number, Assessment Year and Captcha text

3. Click on Submit

This will display refund status details for returns filed at ITOs, or paper returns.

Understanding the refund status
 

When you check income tax refund status through any of the above facilities, the status displayed can be:

• Return Submitted: Return received but not verified
• Return Filed: Return has been verified and is awaiting processing 
• Return Being Processed: Return is under processing
• Refund Issued: Refund has been processed and sent to the bank 
• Refund Failure: Refund failed due to incorrect bank details
• Adjusted Against Demand: Refund adjusted against outstanding tax demand
• Return Rejected: Return declined and refund rejected

For pending refunds, the status may further specify the processing stage, for example:

• Refund pending u/s 143(1): Refund is pending u/s rectification
• Refund pending u/s 154: Refund is pending u/s reassessment
• Refund pending u/s 155: Refund is pending u/s appeal effect
• Verification successful: Refund verified and pending issue

Quote: Understanding the different statuses displayed can help you better track your income tax refund.

When to check income tax refund status?
 

Ideally, you should wait 8-10 days after e-filing your income tax return to check status. Some guidelines include:

• For returns filed before the due date - check status after 10 days
• For returns filed after the due date - check status after 3 weeks 
• If the return is being processed, check once a week for status updates
• When refund status shows ‘Refund Issued’ - start tracking daily

Avoid checking status multiple times a day as it only reflects the same information. Wait for a reasonable period instead.

Conclusion
 

Mentioning the correct bank account details and linking PAN with Aadhaar can further ease the refund process. Regularly monitoring the status of your ITR after filing ensures that you receive your tax refund promptly.

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