Why is My Income Tax Refund Delayed? 6 Common Reasons
Frustrated about your delayed Income Tax Refund? You’re not alone. While many taxpayers vent on social media about their ITR status being “under processing,” the reason for the delay often comes down to a few silent technical issues.
Here are six common problems that may be holding up your money:
- Bank Pre-Validation Failure: The Income Tax Department requires you to pre-validate your bank account. A simple mismatch between the name on your bank account and your PAN details can halt the refund process.
- Unlinked PAN and Aadhaar: If your PAN hasn’t been linked to your Aadhaar, the processing of your return will be completely stalled.
- Invalid Bank Details: Incorrect bank account numbers or invalid IFSC codes are common errors that can prevent the refund from being credited.
- Unverified ITR: You must verify your return within 30 days of filing. If you don’t, your return is marked as invalid, and your refund won’t be processed.
- Large Refund Amounts: Refunds over ₹50,000 are subject to additional scrutiny and checks, which can lead to longer processing times.
- TDS Mismatches: If the TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) details you’ve claimed don’t match the information filed by your deductor in Form 26AS, your refund can be delayed.
What You Can Do:
While you can check your refund status on the Income Tax website, the solution often lies in fixing these backend issues. Ensure your bank details are correct, your PAN and Aadhaar are linked, and your return has been verified to get your refund processed faster.