For many taxpayers, income tax refund is a welcome relief after months of planning, paperwork and payments. But in 2025, thousands are still waiting, often longer than expected. Despite the Income Tax Department has improved its systems and processed many returns quickly, a huge number of refunds are stuck. The reasons are many, from technical mismatches to new scrutiny rules.
Refunds Taking Longer Than Expected
The usual timeline for refunds is around 4-5 weeks after you e-file your income tax return. Some have got their money in a few days, many in 2-4 weeks. By August 2025, only 37% of returns filed had been processed, so delays are affecting a large number of taxpayers despite early filing.
New rules have tightened scrutiny this year. Returns that raise red flags, like high refunds, large transactions or mismatches in data are set aside for manual review. So some taxpayers will have to wait much longer for their money.
Common Causes of Delay
Refunds also fail when bank accounts are not pre-validated, IFSC codes are outdated after bank mergers or account numbers are entered incorrectly. Data mismatches between ITR and records like Form 26AS, Annual Information Statement (AIS) or Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS) can also stall processing.
In some cases refunds are adjusted against past dues under Section 245 of Income Tax Act or put on hold if return is flagged as defective under Section 139(9). Technical issues like system backlogs or incomplete e-verification add to the delay.
Filing your tax return this year? Head to our detailed ITR Guide for everything you need to know.
What Taxpayers Can Do
On social media and tax forums many are complaining about refunds stuck since June or July. For those expecting a large sum, the wait can be financially crippling. While a small portion of cases are delayed due to targeted scrutiny, many are stuck due to issues that can be resolved quickly.
Experts suggest taxpayers should log in to the e-filing portal regularly to check their status, validate bank details and request refund reissue if needed. They should clear pending dues, respond to notices promptly and reconcile their ITR with Form 26AS and AIS to avoid mismatches.
If nothing moves, taxpayers can reach out to Aaykar Sampark Kendra helpline or raise a grievance through online portal with all details.
How to Avoid Future Delays
Tax experts suggest pre-validate bank accounts before filing returns, use latest IFSC code and complete e-verification on time. Ensure consistency of income and tax deduction details in ITR, Form 26AS and AIS. Clear old notices or pending tax dues in advance.