It is that time of the year when individuals eagerly await the Income Tax Department’s approval of their tax returns and the subsequent crediting of their income tax refund to their bank accounts. Over the past several years, the Income Tax Department has undergone a transformation, embracing technology to process tax returns swiftly, often in a matter of weeks or even days.
You can look at our previous article on 7 Essential lessons from recent Income Tax Filing season using the below link:
While we will not delve into the specifics of who qualifies for tax refunds and when to expect them, we will provide you with essential information on:
- Confirming the Acceptance of Your Income Tax Returns by the Income Tax Department
- Checking the Status of Your Income Tax Refund
- Addressing Refund Delays and How to Raise Queries
How to Verify Your Income Tax Return Acceptance by the Income Tax Department
To ensure that your tax returns have been successfully accepted by the Income Tax Department, follow these simple steps:
- Login to the Income Tax Portal: Use your login credentials to access the Income Tax Department’s official portal.
- Check Your Welcome Page: Once logged in, on the welcome page, you should readily find the status of your most recent tax filing. This status update is a critical indicator of the progress of your tax return.
- Post-Submission Verification: After you have submitted your tax return, the Income Tax Department embarks on a verification process. If there are no further queries or concerns regarding your submission, your IT returns will be approved.
4. Notification via Email and Mobile: Upon approval, you will promptly receive a notification via email and on your registered mobile number. The subject line of this notification will read “Your IT Intimation.” Here’s an excerpt from the email body:
“Dear [Your Name],
We are pleased to inform you that your Income Tax Returns have been successfully accepted and processed. Your Income Tax Intimation under section 143(1) is attached herewith. To access this document, you will need a password.
Password Format: Your PAN (in lowercase) followed by your date of birth in DDMMYYYY format.
Sample Password: abcup7826n01011990″
Timeline for Income Tax Refund
You should receive the amount in your bank account (provided and validated at the time of income tax returns filing) within 15 days from the date of receipt of intimation.
However, you need to ensure that the bank account is pre-validated and PAN is linked with the bank account. Failing to do so, you might not get the Income tax refund in a seamless way.
How to check the status of Income tax refund
Post refund is issued, the status of filing will change to “Refund Issued” along with the refund details.
In certain instances where PAN might not have been linked with the bank account, then you would see the below error message on the portal and individual will have to take steps to make PAN operative and link it with the bank account and should raise a request for reissue of refund.
You can also check the status of income tax refund using the below link 10 days after their refund has been sent by the Assessing Officer to the Refund Banker:
https://tin.tin.nsdl.com/oltas/refund-status-pan.html
How to raise a request a query if income tax refund
In few instances individuals might not receive the refund within 15 days from the date of intimation. Under those circumstances a grievance request can be raised from the Income Tax portal. Step 1: After logging into the portal, select “Submit Grievance” Under Grievance section.
Step 2: Fill the below:
- Department: e-Filing
- Category: Refund Related
- Sub-Category: Refund/Refund-Issue Status
- Assessment Year: Relevance Year
- Grievance Description: Narrate the reason why you are reaching out to the team.
- Attachments: If you have the documents handy, its advisable to attach it along with the query. If you make the life of the income tax department, there is high probability of your grievance being resolved quickly.
Conclusion
Monitoring your income tax refund status is a straightforward yet crucial part of managing your finances during tax season. By following the steps outlined above and staying proactive in checking the status of your tax return, you can ensure that you’re well-informed about the progress of your refund.
Whether your refund is on its way or you encounter delays, staying in the loop empowers you to take timely action and make the most of your hard-earned money. So, log in, verify, and stay updated – your financial peace of mind is worth it.
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You can also refer the Income tax Refund Status User Manual on the Income Tax Department using the below link:
https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/help/refund_status_user_manual