If you’re one of the taxpayers eagerly waiting for your income tax refund but haven’t received it yet, there could be a specific reason behind this delay. The Income Tax Department has implemented a new measure to ensure that only eligible and verified taxpayers get their refunds. This measure requires certain taxpayers to confirm their refund on the Income Tax Return (ITR) portal, failing which the refund may not be processed.

Why Confirmation Is Required for Some Taxpayers

The Income Tax Department has tightened its scrutiny on refunds to prevent fraudulent claims and ensure transparency. As part of this, taxpayers falling under specific categories must confirm their refund requests online before it is processed. This step acts as an additional layer of security to verify that the refund is genuine and correctly calculated.

Who Needs to Confirm Their Refund?

While most taxpayers won’t need to take any action other than filing their ITR, certain individuals must provide an explicit confirmation. This primarily affects taxpayers whose returns have discrepancies or require extra verification due to mismatched details in their forms. Some common reasons for needing to confirm a refund include:

Mismatch between declared income and TDS deductions: If the income reported in your ITR differs from what is reflected in your TDS statements (Form 16 or 26AS), your refund might be held until you verify the discrepancy.

High-value transactions: Individuals with substantial financial transactions or investments may face closer scrutiny and, thus, might need to confirm their refund.

Failure to complete e-verification: After filing your ITR, it’s crucial to complete the e-verification process. Without this, the department may treat your return as incomplete, resulting in a delay or non-processing of the refund.

Steps to Confirm Your Income Tax Refund

If you’re one of the taxpayers required to confirm your refund, the process is straightforward. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Log in to the Income Tax e-Filing Portal: Go to the official e-filing portal and log in using your credentials.

2. Navigate to the ‘My Pending Actions’ Section: Under your profile, check for any pending actions or notifications that may require your attention.

3. Confirm Your Refund Request: If there is a notification regarding refund confirmation, follow the instructions provided to confirm your claim.

4. Submit the Confirmation: Once the necessary details are submitted, your refund will be processed, assuming all other aspects of your return are correct.

Other Possible Reasons for Delay

While failing to confirm your refund could be a primary reason for the delay, there are several other factors to consider:

Incorrect Bank Details: If the bank account details you provided in the ITR are incorrect or incomplete, your refund may not be credited.

ITR Processing Status: If the Income Tax Department hasn’t yet processed your return, the refund will naturally be delayed. You can check the status of your return on the ITR portal.

Pending Dues: If you have any outstanding tax dues from previous years, the department may adjust your refund against those amounts, resulting in a lower or delayed refund.

Scrutiny of Returns: In cases where the return is selected for detailed scrutiny, the refund process will be paused until the verification is complete.

What to Do If Your Refund Is Delayed?

If you’ve already confirmed your refund request or are not required to do so but are still facing delays, here are some actions you can take:

1. Check the Refund Status: Log in to the ITR portal and track your refund status. This will give you an idea of whether it has been processed or is still pending.

2. Contact Customer Support: If your refund is significantly delayed, consider reaching out to the Income Tax Department’s helpline for clarification.

3. Rectify Errors: In case of any errors in your filing, such as incorrect bank details or misreported income, file a rectification request on the portal.

Conclusion

Not receiving your income tax refund on time can be frustrating, but in many cases, the delay is due to simple errors or additional verification steps, like confirming your refund on the ITR portal. By staying on top of your return’s status and promptly addressing any pending actions, you can ensure a smooth refund process.