Income tax refunds now credited within hours of filing
From months to minutes: Taxpayers marvel at lightning-fast income tax refunds.
- Sep 12, 2025,
- Updated Sep 12, 2025 8:15 AM IST
A pleasant surprise has greeted taxpayers across India this filing season — Income Tax refunds are now being credited to bank accounts within hours of filing and verification, a far cry from the months-long waits of the past.
In one instance, verified by Business Today, the return was filed and e-verified at 10:45 AM, processed by the Central Processing Centre (CPC) of the Income Tax department at 11:09 AM, and the refund credited to the taxpayer’s bank account by 12:06 PM — all in a span of just 81 minutes.
Social media is abuzz with praise and astonishment.
On X (formerly Twitter), one user shared, “My wife received IT refund in her a/c after seven hours of e-verification and 24 hours of return filing for AY 2025-26. Keep it up.”
Another post read, “Filed ITR for my retired mother and father around 1 PM, and by 4 PM the same day, both returns were processed, and refunds credited. Miracle! Hats off to a super-efficient team of #IncomeTax under the great leadership of Hon. Min @nsitharaman … Yes, this is New India.”
There have been instances of tax payers talking about being able to file their tax returns in just 10 minutes and getting their refund with speed ease. Another user posted that his refund was credited into his account in just two hours.
The new system has been enabled by new processes – pre-filled IT returns, automated annual information statements, immediate e-verification, faster processing by CPC and ultimately real-time bank credit. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has streamlined workflows and removed bottlenecks.
This follows from what Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced in this year’s budget. “Over the past 10 years, our Government has implemented several reforms for convenience of tax payers, such as (1) faceless assessment, (2) tax payers charter, (3) faster returns, (4) almost 99 per cent returns being on self-assessment, and (5) Vivad se Vishwas scheme,” she had said, adding, “Continuing these efforts, I reaffirm the commitment of the tax department to “trust first, scrutinise later.”
The CBDT and the Finance Ministry have drawn widespread appreciation for this reform, with many hailing it as a landmark in taxpayer convenience.
Experts say the faster cycle not only builds trust but also puts liquidity in the hands of citizens at the right time, enabling them to give their own little boost to the economy.
For taxpayers, what was once an anxious wait has turned into a pleasant surprise.
A pleasant surprise has greeted taxpayers across India this filing season — Income Tax refunds are now being credited to bank accounts within hours of filing and verification, a far cry from the months-long waits of the past.
In one instance, verified by Business Today, the return was filed and e-verified at 10:45 AM, processed by the Central Processing Centre (CPC) of the Income Tax department at 11:09 AM, and the refund credited to the taxpayer’s bank account by 12:06 PM — all in a span of just 81 minutes.
Social media is abuzz with praise and astonishment.
On X (formerly Twitter), one user shared, “My wife received IT refund in her a/c after seven hours of e-verification and 24 hours of return filing for AY 2025-26. Keep it up.”
Another post read, “Filed ITR for my retired mother and father around 1 PM, and by 4 PM the same day, both returns were processed, and refunds credited. Miracle! Hats off to a super-efficient team of #IncomeTax under the great leadership of Hon. Min @nsitharaman … Yes, this is New India.”
There have been instances of tax payers talking about being able to file their tax returns in just 10 minutes and getting their refund with speed ease. Another user posted that his refund was credited into his account in just two hours.
The new system has been enabled by new processes – pre-filled IT returns, automated annual information statements, immediate e-verification, faster processing by CPC and ultimately real-time bank credit. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has streamlined workflows and removed bottlenecks.
This follows from what Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced in this year’s budget. “Over the past 10 years, our Government has implemented several reforms for convenience of tax payers, such as (1) faceless assessment, (2) tax payers charter, (3) faster returns, (4) almost 99 per cent returns being on self-assessment, and (5) Vivad se Vishwas scheme,” she had said, adding, “Continuing these efforts, I reaffirm the commitment of the tax department to “trust first, scrutinise later.”
The CBDT and the Finance Ministry have drawn widespread appreciation for this reform, with many hailing it as a landmark in taxpayer convenience.
Experts say the faster cycle not only builds trust but also puts liquidity in the hands of citizens at the right time, enabling them to give their own little boost to the economy.
For taxpayers, what was once an anxious wait has turned into a pleasant surprise.