Taxpayers who invest wisely to claim deductions always await the refund which is furnished by the income tax authorities. For the uninitiated, the Central Board of Direct Taxes is vested with the authority to issue refunds. Every year, it makes a refund to more than 54 lakh taxpayers. It issues refunds worth almost ₹83 crores! In the processing of income tax returns, what is important to understand is whether you have filed your tax returns in accordance with the stated timeline. If you file your returns beyond the scheduled date, you are definitely going to face a delay in receiving the refund amount. The centralised processing centre (CPC) receives all the tax refunds within a span of 20 to 45 days. Once the processing of returns is completed, taxpayers can expect a refund between 20 to 45 days. At times refunds get delayed, and taxpayers start worrying unnecessarily; the reasons are varied. From technology malfunctioning to power outages, the delay can also be caused by some errors committed by the taxpayers.
Did you know? The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) pays about ₹1100 crores in taxes every year and is acknowledged as the leading corporate taxpayer in India.
What Should You Do If You haven't Received Your Refund?
Most taxpayers are punctual about filing their returns on time. While some do it themselves, there are many who have their personal chartered accounts to do the needful. Many working professionals seek the help of their internal finance department to assist them. There are two ways to check the status of your pending income tax returns. You can visit the official income tax website or the official NSDL website. Both will showcase the status of the delay. Given below are the steps to be followed to find out details for the delay in refund.
Check Income Tax Portal
- Log into the official e-filing portal of income tax with your user name and password.
- From among the various tabs that appear on your screen, click on the ‘E-file’ tab.
- Now click on the tab that states “income tax returns”.
- Click on the ‘view filed returns’.
- You will now have to make a selection of the year for which you are checking the delay in refund.
- A screenshot will appear in which you will be able to view the status of the issue of that particular year.
- If your income tax returns have been processed but the refund has not yet been made the status will reflect’ processed with a refund due. If the refund is not processed, the reasons for the same will also be stated in this section.
Check the National Securities Deposit Limited (NSDL) Portal
You can also visit the official website of the National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) to understand the status of your tax refund by following the steps given below:
- Log in to the official NSDL website, i.e., www.tin-nsdl.com.
- Key in your PAN card details as well as the year of assessment for which you wish to, check the refund status and enter the captcha code.
- You will see a ‘refund status link’.
- Click on the said link.
- It will detail the status of your tax return.
File a Complaint
- You can also file a complaint online in the following manner.
- Log into the official website of the income tax department.
- Key in your name, the details of your PAN card, as well as the assessment year for which you are seeking the refund status.
- In the description box that appears, key in your complaint.
- Enter the captcha code and click on the ‘submit’ tab.
Once your grievance is registered, you may receive an intimation from the income tax department reflecting the details of unpaid taxes. You can always ask your CA to guide you on this. You can also review all the requisite details on the IT returns form, check for errors, if any, and calculate your tax liability once again. This is only to re-check the amount due to you. If all the details are error-free, you can make a rectification claim online. If the IT authorities believe that there is some discrepancy in your request, they will notify you of the same reasons. They may ask you to furnish more documents/details, and you should be ready with all accurate information. In case you have started banking with a different bank, you have to provide the new details such as the bank’s magnetic ink character recognition (MICR code as well as your account number to the officer who is managing your tax assessments.
Also Read: TDS Refund: How To Claim TDS Refund
What Are the Possible Refund Statuses?
Every income tax refund status denotes a specific meaning. These are listed in the table given below:
|
Income tax refund status |
Meaning |
|
No e-filing |
There is a possibility you have not filed your returns. You may have done it manually without verifying details. You will have to re-check the process to correct errors. |
|
The refund process is completed. Check with the bank. |
The refund has been made by the central processing centre. You will have to check with this centre or with your bank to guide you accordingly. |
|
Unable to determine refund. |
Either there have been errors in filing the taxes, or you are not eligible for the same. |
|
Error in the bank account number. |
You receive this message if you have provided the wrong bank account number. In such a case, you can rectify the same by providing the correct number, and your tax refund will be processed. |
|
Verification is required of the returns which are submitted. |
This indicates you may not have verified the returns. |
|
Processing of returns completed but with a refund. |
You are ineligible for a tax refund. |
|
Process of returns completed, but refund is returned and not paid. |
You have provided incorrect bank account details/address provided for intimation of refund is wrong. |
|
Returns have been submitted and are under processing. |
Your returns are being processed. |
|
Returns submitted and verified. |
The refund will be processed soon. |
|
Invalid returns submitted. |
You have to file your returns again. |
|
Returns processed and refund adjusted against the demand. |
The earlier outstanding sum is adjusted with the recent claim to refund. |
Reasons Why the Refund hasn't Reached You and Possible Solutions
There can be numerous reasons for your returns not being credited to you in a timely manner. Some of the primary reasons are given below:
Wrong Information
You have provided the wrong details while filing your income tax returns. This could be an error in the bank account number or the address or even a spelling name. This necessitates a manual review of the processing. In such cases, an Indian revenue service employee monitors the entire form. This delays the process of the refund by a long stretch of time.
Incomplete Details
If you have filed your returns off-line and you have missed keying in some vital detail or have forgotten to sign the forms, your returns will not get processed. This extends the processing and the refund process.
Also Read: Income Tax in India: Basics, Slabs and E-filing Process 2023
Misuse of Your Personal Information
If a miscreant misuses your personal information to file for tax returns to claim a refund, you will not receive the refund you are entitled to. When you suspect a situation like this, you have to contact the Department of Revenue and file a complaint.
The Wrong Bank is Credited With Your Refund
Very often, several individuals key in the wrong information online because they are eager to complete the process quickly. This has, time and again, led to errors in the bank account number. This often leads to your refund being credited to someone else’s bank account. Under such circumstances, you have to sort this issue personally with the bank in question, as the Department of Revenue does not get involved in such cases.
Making Amendments While Filing Your Returns
Any amendments made by you in previous returns require mailing physical copies to the said authorities. The Indian Revenue System takes at least 3 weeks to reflect this. The processing that follows stretches across 16 weeks, and you may receive the refund after a couple of months.
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Conclusion:
All taxpayers await the refund amount due to them. When there are delays, it casts several doubts on the taxpayers as they tend to believe that errors are always committed by the income tax department. Infact, several individuals tend to make careless mistakes while filing their tax returns. This causes a very long delay in the refund being credited to their respective banks. This article takes you through all the details which help you understand the processes involved in re-claiming a refund.
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