Income Tax Refund Delays: Why Your FY 2024-25 ITR Refund Is Taking Longer & What To Do

• Taxpayers face anxiety over delayed FY 2024-25 ITR refunds, though the Income Tax Department is within its legal processing timeline until Dec 31, 2026, under Section 143(1).
• Delays can stem from high-value claims requiring extra checks, refunds withheld under Section 245(2) for outstanding tax demands, or common taxpayer errors like not declaring deductions to employers.
• The CBDT's 'Nudge' campaign, launched in Dec 2025, flags discrepancies via SMS/email; refunds are held until taxpayers respond by accepting or rectifying issues.
• Taxpayers receiving intimations for discrepancies, especially regarding deductions like 80C, 80D, or HRA not declared to employers, must respond for processing.
• Check your income tax refund status using your PAN on the official e-filing portal: incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/ by logging in and navigating to 'View Filed Returns'.

Why It Matters: FY 2024-25 ITR refunds face delays due to checks, taxpayer errors, and the 'Nudge' campaign.