6 ITR Filing Mistakes That Delay Your Refund

Filing your income tax return with errors — like wrong bank details, mismatched income, or skipped Form 26AS checks — can delay your refund by months or trigger a scary notice from the tax department. Here's what to watch out for.

Here's what happened: The ITR filing deadline for FY 2024-25 is July 31, 2025, and errors at this stage can lead to refund delays, defective return notices, or even scrutiny assessments.. Common mistakes include mismatched TDS figures, incorrect personal details like PAN or bank account numbers, and failing to report all income sources including freelance or interest income.. The Income Tax Department cross-checks your return against Form 26AS, AIS, and TIS data — any mismatch triggers an automated notice under Section 143(1) or 148..

What you should do: Download and verify your Form 26AS and Annual Information Statement (AIS) on the IT portal before filling in any income or TDS figures in your ITR.. Double-check your pre-validated bank account number and IFSC code in your IT profile — a single digit error means your refund goes nowhere.. Declare ALL income sources — savings account interest, fixed deposit interest, freelance payments, rental income — even if TDS was already deducted at source..

If you spot a mismatch between your AIS and actual transactions, raise a 'feedback' dispute on the AIS portal before filing — this prevents an automatic notice later.