How to Check Income Tax Refund Status on TIN-NSDL

As tax season rolls around, many taxpayers eagerly anticipate receiving their income tax refunds. However, waiting for that refund can sometimes feel like a guessing game. Fortunately, the process has become more transparent and accessible over the years, thanks to online tools provided by tax authorities. In this guide, let’s understand how you can use the Income Tax E-filing Portal or The TIN NSDL Portal for ITR check online, what various ITR statuses mean, and how you can request a refund reissue.

What is an income tax refund?

Before we go into how you can check income tax rebate status, let’s first understand what an income tax refund means. When you pay taxes to the government, you may actually pay more than you owe for a given year. This extra amount is returned to you, the taxpayer, and is called an income tax refund. This refund goes straight into the taxpayer’s bank account or the Income Tax authorities can issue a cheque. After filing, it might take around 4 to 5 weeks for the money to appear in your account, but sometimes the process can be quicker and you may have a refund issued within 7 to 8 days.

Keeping track of your ITR return status is important as sometimes the process is not very straightforward and requires action from you in order to proceed. For example, the IT Department may approve your refund, but maybe due to some small errors such as incorrect bank details, the process can get delayed. That’s why it’s important to keep an eye on the ITR status. Monitoring ITR refund status also enables you to receive your refund as quickly as possible.

How to Check Your ITR Status FY 2024-25?

To check income tax refund status, you can visit either of the following two sites:

1. The Income Tax E-filing Portal
2. The TIN NSDL Portal

1. How to Check Income Tax Refund Status through E-Filing Website?

Sure, here’s a step by step guide on how to check your income tax refund status through the e-filing website:

Step 1: Visit the official Income Tax E-filing Portal here: https://eportal.incometax.gov.in/iec/foservices/#/login

Step 2: Log in using your PAN, Aadhar or User ID.

Step 3: Enter the captcha code and your password.

Step 4: On the top banner of the page, you will find ’e-File’. In this menu select ‘Income Tax Returns’.

Step 5: Now select the option ‘View Filed Returns’

Step 6: In this section, you can find the status of all the returns you have filed. 

Step 7: Simply select the current year and click on ‘View Details’ to get the e-filing refund status.

2. How to Check Income Tax Refund Status through the TIN NSDL Website?

By using the NSDL portal, you can easily monitor the status of your income tax refund and stay updated on its progress. Here’s a step-by-step guide for checking the NSDL refund status.

Step 1: Visit the TIN NSDL Portal here: https://tin.tin.nsdl.com/oltas/refund-status-pan.html

Step 2: Enter your PAN.

Step 3: Select the desired assessment year and enter the captcha code.

Step 4: The next screen will show you the income tax refund status of the chosen assessment year. 

Understanding various income tax refund status

When you are checking your ITR status online, you will come across specific terms that indicate the status of your refund. Here are some different statuses, their meanings, and what you can do if you come across them:

• Refund Issued

This means your income tax refund was approved and the refund amount has been credited to your bank account. You can check your account for it.

• Refund Status Not Determined

If you see this status, that means your income tax refund has not yet been processed. You can check back again in a few days.

• ITR Proceeds Determined

Your income tax refund has been processed and you will receive the refund shortly.

• Refund Failure

This means that while the income tax department has accepted your refund, they haven’t transferred the amount to your bank account. You can get this status if your bank details aren’t pre-validated. To change this, you will have to go to the income tax portal and pre-validate your bank account and request a refund reissue. 

• No Demand No Refund

If you see this status, that means you aren’t eligible for any refund, but you aren’t required to pay tax either. In case you were expecting a refund, you can review the comparison you received from the Income Tax Department, and file a rectified return.

• Demand Determined

This status implies that the amount of tax you calculated doesn’t match the amount calculated by the Income Tax Department and you have to pay more tax. In this case, thoroughly review and identify any errors to make the additional payment within the specified time period. If you don’t find any mistakes, however, you can submit a rectification request with all the documents to support your refund claim.

If you’ve filed a rectification, you may see some of the following ITR statuses:

• Rectification Processed, No Demand and No Refund

This status informs that the rectification was processed by the IT Department, and they found that you aren’t eligible for any refund, but you don’t have to pay any additional tax either. 

• Rectification Processed, Refund Due

Your rectification request was accepted, and your recalculated refund has been sent to the refund banker. You can expect it in your bank account shortly.

• Rectification Processed, Demand Determined

This also means your rectification was accepted, but the IT Department still found some outstanding tax dues which must be paid before the deadline.

Also Read: What are Tax Planning, Avoidance and Evasion? Know Key Differences

How to Request for Tax Refund Reissue?

In some cases, the income tax refund status shows that the refund process has failed. This can happen for several reasons – Your bank account may not be prevalidated, there may be a mismatch in your PAN and bank account details, incorrect IFSC code, closure of bank etc. If you want to request a refund reissue, follow these steps:

1. Go to the income tax portal https://eportal.incometax.gov.in/iec/foservices/#/login
2. Enter PAN, user ID, or Aadhar along with your password and captcha and log in.
3. From the top banner select ‘Services’, and click ‘Refund Reissue’
4. You’ll be taken to a new page where you can find the ‘Create Refund Reissue Request’
5. Confirm the acknowledgment number and continue.
6. Check/Fill the bank details and then select the bank account where you want the money to be credited.
7. Click ‘Proceed to Verification’
8. Now finally, you need to e-verify your reissue request. This can be done through your Aadhar card and your registered mobile number or email id, or the bank’s Electronic Verification Code.
9. Success! After successfully e-verifying, you can go to ‘View Refund Reissue Requests’ to check your request. 

Seek Professional Help to Check Income Tax Refund Status

When you file for a refund, sometimes the calculation by the tax department may not match yours. You might expect a refund, but they could say you owe taxes instead. Even if you file for rectification, you may still end up owing more tax or getting no refund at all. Dealing with such situations can be a bit of a headache, but a tax planner can help. 

With a tax planner, you don’t have to worry about filing taxes because they can do it accurately while following all the rules, so there is no chance of non-compliance. They can make sure your refunds are quick and save you some valuable time and effort. They can also optimise your overall tax strategy, reduce your tax liabilities, and even assess your financial situation to suggest the best investment options to maximise your tax benefits. 

Also Read Tax Planning Strategies for New Businesses

Conclusion

Keeping track of your ITR status is now simpler than ever. With the convenience of online platforms like the Income Tax E-filing Portal and TIN NSDL Portal, you can easily check your income tax refund status. We’ve listed many statuses such as refund failure, no demand no refund, and demand determined, and once you understand what they mean you can take steps to rectify things when they are not in line with your expectations. 

You can easily request the IT department to reissue the refund through the official portal in case of a refund failure but don’t forget to e-verify before the deadline. If you still face problems, you can consult with a tax planner who can not only help you with the refund but also give your tax planning a long-term makeover so you don’t have to run into such issues.