ITR Refund Delay: What’s Delaying This Year’s Tax Refunds? Recognize when to anticipate it and how to check online

ITR Refund Delay: For AY 2025–2026, income tax returns (ITRs) were to be filed by September 16, 2025. Many taxpayers are still awaiting their payouts, which have been delayed this year, even though the majority of refunds for FY 2024-25 (AY 2025-26) have been completed. Refunds are usually issued four to five weeks after the return is filed and e-verified. Stricter data-matching procedures, increasing workloads at the Centralized Processing Center (CPC), and delayed ITR form releases are all blamed for the delays, which have prolonged verification schedules.

How to Verify the Status of Your ITR Refund

Through the official Income Tax site, taxpayers may monitor their Income Tax Return (ITR) refunds online. Take these actions:

1. Go to eportal.incometax.gov.in.

2. Enter your password and user ID to log in.

3. Select “e-File” → “Income Tax Returns” → “View Filed Returns.”

4. To see the refund status, choose the appropriate ITR.

Five Typical Causes of ITR Delays

1. Bank Account Problems: Inaccurate bank account information prevents refunds from being credited. Taxpayers should make sure the account number and IFSC code are correct and pre-validate accounts on the site.

2. Issues with Aadhaar-PAN Linking: Refunds may be delayed if Aadhaar and PAN do not match. To prevent delays, PAN and Aadhaar must be properly linked.

3. Inaccurate Claims or Documentation: If deductions or credits call for more evidence, refunds may be suspended. Repayment checks or warnings may be issued for false or inflated claims.

4. Data Inconsistencies: The Income Tax Department examines discrepancies before processing, so any inconsistency between Form 26AS, Form 16, or the Annual Information Statement (AIS) may cause refunds to be delayed.

5. According to Ravi Agrawal, chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the Income Tax Department is examining certain applications for possibly erroneous deductions, which is the reason for the delays in processing tax refunds.

When Can I Get My ITR Back?

“Refunds for low-value items are being issued. After analysis, we discovered that certain incorrect deductions or refunds were being made. Thus, this is an ongoing process. According to PTI, CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) Chairman Ravi Agrawal said, “We hope to release the remaining refunds by this month or by December.”