How to Check Your Income Tax Refund Status Online?

Okay! So you have already filed your return and are now waiting to get your refund processed. But you do not know how to check it and are just speculating on the status of the refund and are waiting eagerly for your hard-earned money to come back to you. Well, we know that this wait could be an impatient one and could lead to unnecessary anxiety. And that is why here we present to you the complete details on how you can check about income tax return status online, without having to run from pillar to post.

Checking Income Tax Refund Status

In order to check the status of your income tax refund, you will need to login to website of IT department - https://tin.tin.nsdl.com. Upon logging into the website with your PAN number and selecting the relevant Assessment Year, you will be able to track the income tax return status.  Here, it is important to know a little more about the refund status.

Check out this small list of various refund status that you will find on Income Tax Department’s official website:

1. Refund has expired
2. Refund has returned
3. Refund failure due to direct credit error
4. Refund adjusted to previous year’s demands
5. Refund processed through NEFT/NECS failed
6. Refund status shows paid but refund not received

Let’s now understand each refund status in detail and know what to do in each case.

Income Tax Refund Status & What to Do

1. Refund has expired

It is important to know that the timeframe of validity for your income tax returns in ninety days.  If ninety days have passed and the return has not been processed due to a mistake in the account details or otherwise, it is discerned that the refund has expired and stands cancelled.

What should you do?

In such cases, you must heed the following process:

1. Login to income tax e-filing website.
2. Upon successful login, click on ‘My Accounts’ and then click on ‘Refund Re-Issue Request’ in the menu (drop-down).

• Now, fill the necessary details to initiate an income tax return re-issuance request.

1. Refund has returned

This refund status means that the refund was sent to you through speed post. However, the refund was returned undelivered to the income tax department. In such an event, your income tax return stands cancelled and is retained by the CMP centre.

What should you do?

In such cases, please follow the steps mentioned above i.e.,

1. Visit income tax e-filing website and login with your user-id and password.
2. After login, go to ‘My Accounts’ and then to ‘Refund Re-Issue Request’. You will find ‘Refund Re-Issue Request’ in the drop-down menu.

• Fill all the details required and re-initiate a refund re-issue request with income tax department.

1. Refund via Direct Credit Failed

You will see this status of your refund online, if income tax department tried to credit your account with the refund to your, but it failed. You might get such status if:

1. Your bank account is closed.
2. Bank has put restrictions/stop/hold status on your account.
3. If it is PPF/ Fixed Deposit/Loan account.
4. If it is a NRI account.
5. If the primary account owner has passed away.

What should you do?

In such an event, follow the below mentioned steps:

1. Go to income tax e-filing website and login (use your user-id and password).
2. Then, go to ‘My Accounts’ and select ‘Refund Re-Issue Request’ in the menu.

• Feed the necessary details and initiate a refund re-issue request.

1. Refund adjusted to last year’s demands

 If in the status field, you see that the refund has been adjusted to last year’s demands, it could mean that our refund amount has been compensated against the outstanding tax liability of the last year. This could in-part adjustment or full adjustment.

What should you do?

In such cases, follow the below mentioned steps:

1. Go to income tax e-filing website and login (use your user-id and password).
2. Then, go to ‘Helpdesk’ and click on ‘Submit Grievance’.

• Select the very first option to initiate an enquiry for income tax refund.

1. Refund processed through NEFT/NECS failed

If you see this status, it could mean that income tax department tried to send you over the refund via NECS/NEFT but it failed.

What should you do?

In such an event, follow the below mentioned steps:

1. Go to income tax e-filing website and login (use your user-id and password).
2. Then, go to ‘Profile Settings and then select ‘My Profile’.

• Make necessary amendments in your online profile.

1. Once you have updated your profile, go to ‘My Accounts’ and select ‘Refund Re-Issue Request’ in the drop-down.
2. Feed the necessary details and initiate a refund re-issue request.

1. Refund status shows paid but refund not received

You usually get to see this information if you have mistakenly entered wrong account details.

What should you do?

1. First things first, check the account details including IFSC/MICR code on the ECS advice slip.
2. If the account details are correct, contact your bank and enquire about the tax refund.

• If you find that the account details are incorrect, contact your bank and inform them that your tax refund has been credited to wrong account.