Archive · 6 Sep 2026
ITR Refund Delays: How Taxpayers Can Check Status Online
A tax refund is money returned when someone paid more tax than they actually owed.
The Income Tax Department starts processing the refund after the tax return is verified online.
It usually takes four to five weeks for the money to reach the linked bank account.
A refund can be delayed if the bank account details are wrong or inactive.
Problems can also happen if the PAN and bank information do not match.
The department may use the refund to settle older unpaid tax demands.
It may also ask for more information if the return contains differences or errors.
People can check the refund status on the official income-tax e-filing website.
They need to log in and select the option to view filed returns.
More than 7.8 crore income-tax returns were filed for FY26/AY27 by 31 August, compared with 7.3 crore by last year’s deadline.
Refund processing begins only after taxpayers complete ITR e-verification and generally takes four to five weeks.
Refunds may be delayed because of incorrect bank details, inactive accounts, invalid IFSC codes, or account and PAN mismatches.
Refunds can also be affected by outstanding tax demands, discrepancies requiring verification, technical failures, or an inoperative PAN.
Taxpayers can check refund status by logging into the income-tax e-filing portal and opening e-file, Income Tax Returns, and View Filed Returns.
- Who
- Taxpayers who filed income-tax returns and the Income Tax Department.
- What
- The department has reported record ITR filings and provided guidance on refund timelines, delays, and online status checks.
- When
- More than 7.8 crore returns had been filed by 31 August for FY26/AY27; refunds generally take four to five weeks after e-verification.
- Where
- Refunds are credited to the taxpayer’s linked bank account, and status can be checked on the income-tax e-filing portal.
- Why
- Refunds are issued when tax paid exceeds actual tax liability, but processing may be delayed by verification, account problems, mismatches, or outstanding demands.
- Returns filed
- More than 7.8 crore ITRs for FY26/AY27 by 31 August.
- Previous comparison
- 7.3 crore returns were filed within last year’s deadline.
- Returns by 31 July
- 5.9 crore ITR-1 and ITR-2 returns were filed by 31 July.
- Typical refund timeline
- Four to five weeks after ITR e-verification.
- Status website
- https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/
- Status navigation
- Login > e-file > Income Tax Returns > View Filed Returns.
- Audit-related deadlines
- 31 October for taxpayers whose accounts require audit; 30 November for taxpayers covered by transfer-pricing provisions under Section 92E.