Income Tax Refund Status: How to Check Online and What to Do If Delayed (2026)

How-To Guide · Income Tax Refund

Updated for 2026 · Claw Editorial

You filed your return, you expect a refund, and weeks later nothing has reached your bank account. The fix usually starts with one simple check. You can check your income tax refund status on the income tax e-filing portal or on the NSDL refund tracking page, using your PAN and the assessment year. This guide shows the exact steps, explains what each status means, lists the common reasons for delay, and says what to do if the matter turns into a dispute.

The short answer

Where to check: the income tax e-filing portal (login) or the NSDL refund status page (PAN and assessment year).
What you need: your PAN and the assessment year of the return.
Common causes of delay: unverified return, bank account problems, old demands adjusted under section 245, and data mismatches.
TDS refund status: a TDS refund is an income tax refund of excess TDS, claimed through your ITR and tracked the same way. There is no separate TDS refund portal.
If it becomes a dispute: appeals go to the CIT(A), then the ITAT.

01Why refunds feel stuck

A refund is not paid the moment you file. The department has to process the return first, and only after that is the refund sent to your bank. Many people see no update and assume something has gone wrong.

Several steps sit between filing and payment

Your return must be e-verified. It is then processed, an intimation is issued, and the refund is sent to the refund banker for credit. A problem at any one step can pause the whole chain.

The status message is easy to misread

Words like “processed” and “awaited” sound alike, but they mean very different things. One means money is on the way. The other may mean nothing has been decided yet.

Small errors cause big delays

A bank account that is not pre-validated, a wrong IFSC code, a name mismatch, or an unpaid old demand can stop a refund. The good news is that most of these can be fixed once you know the cause.

Start with the right return

If you have not filed yet, or you are unsure about your filing, read how to file your income tax return (ITR) in India first. A refund can only follow a valid, e-verified return.

02How to check income tax refund status: step by step

You can check your refund status in two main ways. Both need your PAN. Keep the assessment year handy too. For income earned in FY 2025-26, the assessment year is 2026-27.

Method 1: The income tax e-filing portal

Open the official income tax e-filing portal and log in with your PAN (or Aadhaar) as user ID and your password.
Go to the e-File menu, then Income Tax Returns, then View Filed Returns.
Pick the assessment year and click View Details for your return.
Read the processing and refund status shown there. It also shows the stage your return has reached.

Method 2: The NSDL (TIN) refund status page

Open the NSDL tax information network refund status page.
Enter your PAN and select the assessment year.
Enter the captcha and click Proceed.
Read the status and, where shown, the mode of payment and the reason for any failure.

This page does not need a login, so it is quick. But the e-filing portal shows more detail about your return. Many people use both.

Do not check too early. Reports suggest you can usually see a refund status about 10 days after the Assessing Officer sends it to the refund banker, so a blank result in the first week is common.

Your PAN and the assessment year are the two details that unlock your refund status. Everything else follows from the message you see.

03What each refund status means

The status message tells you exactly where your refund stands. Here is what the common ones mean in plain words.

Status	What it means	What you should do
Refund paid	The refund has been credited to your bank account or sent by refund cheque.	Check your bank statement. If it is missing, contact your bank and then raise a grievance.
Return processed, refund determined	Your return is processed and a refund amount has been worked out. Payment is the next step.	Wait, and confirm your bank account is pre-validated.
Refund awaited / not determined	The refund is not yet decided or issued. The return may still be in processing, or the claim may be under review.	Check that the return is e-verified and look for any notice or intimation.
Refund failed	The department tried to pay but the credit did not go through, often because of a wrong or unvalidated bank account.	Fix the bank details and request a refund reissue on the portal.
Refund adjusted against demand	The refund was set off against an outstanding tax demand.	Check the demand details. If you disagree, respond to the intimation.
Return not processed	Processing is not complete yet.	Wait. If it is long overdue, raise a grievance.

The exact wording on screen can differ a little from this table. The meaning is what matters.

04Why refunds get delayed or adjusted

Most delays come from a small list of causes. Check these first.

Return not e-verified: an unverified return is not processed at all.
Bank account problem: the account is not pre-validated, is not linked to your PAN, or has a wrong IFSC code or name mismatch.
Outstanding demand from earlier years: the department can adjust your refund against old dues. This is covered by section 245.
Mismatch in data: your TDS, Form 26AS or AIS figures do not match what you claimed.
Return selected for scrutiny or a defective return notice: processing waits until you respond.
Heavy processing load: near the filing deadline, processing can simply take longer.

What section 245 means for you

Section 245 of the Income-tax Act allows the department to set off a refund against an outstanding demand for earlier years. Before doing this, it must send you a written intimation of the proposed adjustment. You can then agree, disagree, or partly agree. You are generally given 30 days to reply. If you do not reply, the adjustment may go ahead, along with interest on the demand.

This is why you should always check the e-filing portal for pending demands and responses. A forgotten demand can quietly swallow a refund.

05TDS refund status: how to check a refund of excess TDS

Many people search for a “TDS refund” or ask how to check the “return TDS status” as if it were a separate process. It is not. A TDS refund is simply an income tax refund that comes from excess tax deducted at source. So the TDS refund status is tracked the same way as any other income tax refund. There is no separate TDS refund portal.

Why excess TDS happens

TDS is deducted by the payer before money reaches you. A refund arises when the TDS deducted is more than your actual tax liability for the year. Common cases:

Salary: your employer deducts tax on an estimate, but your real income, deductions or investments turn out lower.
Rent: tax is deducted on rent paid or received, but your total income is below the taxable limit.
Interest: banks deduct TDS on fixed deposit interest even when your total income is not taxable. This is very common for senior citizens and small earners.
Contractor or professional payments: the payer deducts a fixed percentage, but your net profit after expenses is lower.

How a TDS refund is paid

The deducted TDS is already with the government. You get it back only by claiming it. You do this by filing your income tax return (ITR) and showing the TDS credit as per Form 26AS or AIS. If the credit matches and your tax is lower, the department processes the return and determines a refund. The refund is then sent to your pre-validated bank account. If you have not filed yet, read how to file your income tax return (ITR) in India.

How to check TDS refund status

Use the same steps given above. Log in to the e-filing portal and open View Filed Returns, or use the NSDL refund status page with your PAN and assessment year. The page shows the status of the whole refund, including the part that came from TDS. There is no separate screen for TDS refund details. Match what you see with the status table above.

To see the TDS side, open Form 26AS or AIS and check that every TDS entry matches what you claimed. A mismatch is a top reason a TDS refund is reduced or held back.

What “refund awaited” or “adjusted under section 245” means for a TDS refund

Refund awaited means the refund has not been determined or issued yet. For a TDS refund, the usual reasons are that the return is not e-verified, the TDS credit does not match 26AS or AIS, or the bank account is not pre-validated.

Adjusted under section 245 means your refund, including the excess TDS, was set off against an old tax demand. You will get an intimation first and can reply, usually within 30 days. If the old demand is wrong, dispute it. If it is correct, the adjustment may go ahead and you receive only the balance, if any.

TDS refund versus TDS return status

If you are a deductor checking the status of a TDS return you filed (Form 24Q or 26Q), that is a different matter and is handled on the TRACES portal. This section is about getting back excess TDS as a taxpayer.

06What to do if your refund is delayed

Work through these actions in order. Most cases are solved in the first three.

Confirm e-verification. Make sure your return shows as e-verified and processed.
Validate your bank account. Pre-validate the account on the portal and link it to your PAN. Use an account that is in your own name.
Check for notices and demands. Look under pending actions for any intimation, defect notice or outstanding demand. Respond online within the time given.
Request a reissue if the refund failed. After correcting the bank details, submit a refund reissue request on the portal.
Raise a grievance. If the return is processed and the refund is still not paid after a reasonable time, file a grievance on the e-filing portal. Keep your acknowledgement number and screenshots.
Know about interest. If a refund is delayed, you may be entitled to interest on it. Check the intimation for the interest amount.

Keep copies of the intimation, the status screen and all your replies. If the matter goes further, this paper trail matters.

07When a refund problem becomes a dispute

Sometimes the refund is not just late. It is reduced, denied or adjusted in a way you believe is wrong. At that point you are no longer checking status. You are challenging an order.

The usual route runs like this. First, you can file a rectification request if the error is plain on the face of the record. If the order itself is wrong, you can file an appeal before the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals), also called the CIT(A). If you are still not satisfied, the next appeal goes to the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT).

Each stage has its own forms and time limits, so it helps to track every order and date in one place. Missing a limit can end the remedy.

A note on scope

This guide is about checking refund status and fixing simple delays. For real disputes, speak to a chartered accountant or tax advocate. Nothing here is legal or tax advice.

08Where Claw fits

For a plain refund check, you do not need any legal tool. The e-filing portal and the NSDL page are enough.

Claw becomes useful only if your refund or assessment issue turns into a dispute before the CIT(A) or the ITAT. Claw is an all-in-one legaltech platform for Indian advocates, law firms, and corporate legal teams, combining AI-based case search, an AI legal assistant (Legal GPT), case management, and compliance automation across all Indian courts and tribunals.

For advocates and tax professionals handling such matters, Claw’s case management can track appeals at tribunals, with automatic case updates, a calendar, cause lists and alerts on WhatsApp and email. It also has a free plan for individual advocates. Claw is not a tax filing tool and does not replace the income tax portal. Claw does not use customer case documents to train AI models.

09Sources and further reading

Always confirm steps on the official sites, as menus and rules change.

Income tax e-filing portal: incometax.gov.in
NSDL (TIN) refund status: tin-nsdl.com
Claw: clawlaw.in

Last verified: October 2026. This page gives general information and is not tax or legal advice.

10Frequently asked questions

How do I check my income tax refund status?

Log in to the income tax e-filing portal and open View Filed Returns, or use the NSDL refund status page with your PAN and assessment year. Both show whether your refund is paid, processed, awaited or failed. Keep your PAN and the assessment year ready.

What does refund awaited mean?

It means the refund has not yet been determined or issued. The return may still be in processing, or it may be waiting on a notice, a mismatch or an e-verification. Check the portal for pending actions and respond to any intimation.

Why is my income tax refund not received?

Common reasons are an unverified return, a bank account that is not pre-validated, a wrong IFSC code, a name mismatch, or an outstanding demand adjusted against the refund. Check the status message first, then fix the cause and raise a grievance if needed.

What is a section 245 intimation?

It is a written notice that the department plans to adjust your refund against an outstanding demand from earlier years. You can agree, disagree or partly agree, usually within 30 days. If you do not reply, the adjustment may proceed.

What if my refund failed?

A failed refund usually means the bank credit did not go through, often due to wrong or unvalidated account details. Correct and validate the bank account on the portal, then submit a refund reissue request.

How do I check TDS refund status?

A TDS refund is an income tax refund, so check it the same way. Log in to the income tax e-filing portal and open View Filed Returns, or use the NSDL refund status page with your PAN and assessment year. There is no separate TDS refund portal.

How do I get a refund of excess TDS?

File your income tax return and claim the TDS credit as shown in Form 26AS or AIS. If the TDS deducted is more than your tax liability, the department processes the return and sends the refund to your pre-validated bank account.

What does return TDS status mean?

People use it for two things. For a taxpayer, it means the status of the refund of excess TDS, checked on the e-filing portal or the NSDL page. For a deductor, it means the status of a TDS return such as Form 24Q or 26Q, which is checked on the TRACES portal.

Why is my TDS refund adjusted?

Your TDS refund can be set off against an old tax demand under section 245. You get an intimation first and can agree or disagree, usually within 30 days. Check pending demands on the e-filing portal.

Can a refund dispute go to the ITAT?

Yes. If an order on your refund or assessment is wrong, you can appeal to the CIT(A), and then to the ITAT. Tax advocates can track such appeals with case management tools like Claw. Speak to a tax professional for advice on your case.