ITR refund delays: The new tax return filing season for the year 2025-26 already running, and many people are waiting for their refunds. But one small mistake can slow down the whole process. If the bank account details on the income tax portal are wrong or not validated, the money will not reach on time. Only the accounts that are fully validated are allowed for refunds. People can also check the status of their refund directly on the portal whenever they want.
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Adding and validating bank account details
- Step 1:Log in to the income tax e-filing portal.
- Step 2:Go to ‘Profile’ → ‘My Bank Account’.
- Step 3:Click ‘Add Bank Account’ and enter the required details (account number, IFSC, bank name, and account type).
- Step 4: Once added, select the account you wish to nominate for refund and validate it through the electronic confirmation system.
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E-verification is Important
A lot of refunds get late only because the person forgets to e-verify their return. If the return is not verified, then the system does not treat it as complete. It is very simple to finish e-verification. Anyone can do it quickly using Aadhaar OTP, net banking, Demat account, or through bank account validation. Without this step, the refund will never come, no matter how correct the rest of the return is.
Why Refunds are sometimes late?
Tax expert Avnish Arora, who is executive director, direct tax at Forvis Mazars India, explained that refunds usually come very fast now, sometimes even within a few days. But he said there are still cases when the money takes time. The main reasons are wrong or unvalidated bank account details, differences between the information in the return and in records like AIS or Form 26AS, cases that are marked for scrutiny, and also pending old tax dues or adjustments from earlier years.
He said clearly, “The law entitles taxpayers to interest on late refunds under Section 244A, providing a measure of relief in the event of prolonged waiting. The key is accurate filing, because while the system has become faster, any error can hold up the refund.”
