IRS Code 570: What It Means and How to Fix a Refund Hold

Seeing IRS Code 570 on your tax transcript can be frustrating, especially if you were expecting your refund to move quickly. One day your return looks normal. Then your transcript updates, and suddenly there is a code you do not understand.

Slow down for a minute.

IRS Code 570 does not automatically mean you are being audited. It does not always mean you did something wrong either. It usually means the IRS placed a hold on your account while it reviews something before releasing the refund.

The key is knowing what to check next. A Code 570 by itself gives you a clue, not the full story. You need to look at the surrounding transcript codes, the dates, any IRS notice, and the numbers on your filed return.

Key takeaways about IRS Code 570

Here is the short version:

IRS Code 570 usually means your refund is on hold while the IRS reviews your account.
Code 570 does not automatically mean an audit.
Code 971 often means the IRS issued, or will issue, a notice or letter.
Code 571 may mean the 570 hold was reversed.
Code 572 usually means a Code 570 was corrected because it was processed in error.
Code 846 is the refund issued code.
The date next to IRS Code 570 is not automatically your refund deposit date.

That last point matters. Many taxpayers see a date beside Code 570 and assume that is when the refund will arrive. Usually, that is not how the transcript works.

What does IRS Code 570 mean on a tax transcript?

IRS Code 570 means the IRS has placed a hold on the tax account because additional review, account action, or a credit hold is pending.

The IRS uses transaction codes to track activity on a taxpayer’s account. IRS Document 6209 explains that transaction codes are used to identify transactions and maintain a history of actions posted to a taxpayer’s account. The IRS also describes Code 570 as “additional liability pending and/or credit hold,” and says it can freeze the module from refunding or offsetting credit out. You can see this in the IRS guide to transaction codes.

In plain English: the IRS is not ready to release the money yet.

That does not explain why by itself. Code 570 is a status marker. It tells you the refund is being held, but you still need the rest of the transcript to understand what may be happening.

For a broader explanation of transcript activity, you may also want to review your tax transcript before reacting to one code in isolation.

Does IRS Code 570 mean you are being audited?

No. IRS Code 570 does not automatically mean you are being audited.

That is one of the biggest misconceptions. A refund hold can happen for many reasons. The IRS may be checking income, withholding, credits, identity information, prior-year filing issues, or a possible refund offset. Some reviews are routine processing checks. Others require a taxpayer response.

A formal audit is different. An audit usually comes with more direct IRS correspondence explaining what is being examined and what information the IRS wants from you.

That said, you should not ignore Code 570. The Taxpayer Advocate Service says Code 570 can mean there is a delay in processing your return, and that it does not necessarily mean anything is wrong. But you may receive a request for more information, including identity verification. Once the IRS sends a notice or letter asking for information, Code 971 may appear. You can read that guidance from the Taxpayer Advocate Service on identity verification.

Why did IRS Code 570 appear on your refund transcript?

IRS Code 570 can appear when the IRS needs more time before it releases your refund or moves account credits.

Common reasons include:

Your income does not match IRS records yet.
Your federal withholding needs review.
A W-2, 1099, or other payer document has not matched cleanly.
A refundable credit, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit, needs review.
The IRS needs identity verification.
There is a prior-year filing issue.
The refund may be applied to another tax debt or government debt.
There is an address, name, banking, or processing issue.
The return needs correction or special handling.

The Taxpayer Advocate Service lists several reasons a refund may be held, including prior unfiled returns, refund checks held or returned due to name or address problems, refund application to next year’s estimated tax, IRS return review, and refund offsets. It also explains that IRS reviews may involve wages, withholding, credits, or expenses shown on the return. See the TAS page on held refunds.

This is why guessing can create problems. A taxpayer who assumes Code 570 means “just wait” may miss an IRS letter. A taxpayer who assumes it means “amend immediately” may file an amended return before understanding the real issue.

Both can waste time.

What does the date next to IRS Code 570 mean?

The date next to IRS Code 570 is not automatically your refund date.

It may be tied to IRS processing, account posting, or internal cycle timing. It can help you understand when the code posted or when the IRS expects certain account activity to move, but it does not guarantee that money will hit your bank account on that date.

For refund timing, the cleaner code to watch for is Code 846. IRS Document 6209 describes Code 846 as a refund of overpayment transaction. In plain English, Code 846 is the stronger sign that the IRS has issued the refund.

If your transcript shows Code 570 with a future date, check the full transcript. Look for:

Code 971, which may show a notice was issued.
Code 571, which may show a reversal of the 570 hold.
Code 572, which may show the 570 was corrected as input in error.
Code 846, which points to refund issuance.
Any balance or adjustment that changes the refund amount.

Do not build your whole plan around one date beside Code 570. That is where people get stuck.

What do IRS Code 570 and Code 971 mean together?

IRS Code 570 with Code 971 usually means your refund is on hold and the IRS has issued, or will issue, a notice or letter about your account.

Code 570 tells you there is a hold or delay. Code 971 often tells you the IRS has generated a notice or other account action. The notice matters because it may explain what the IRS wants.

The dates can be useful, but they are not enough by themselves. If Code 570 and Code 971 have the same date, it may mean the hold and notice activity are connected. If the dates are different, the IRS may be moving through more than one processing step. Either way, the transcript alone may not tell you exactly what to send.

The smart move is simple:

Watch your mail.
Check your IRS online account.
Read the notice before responding.
Follow the exact instructions in the notice.
Keep copies of everything you send.

If the IRS asks you to verify your identity, do that through official IRS instructions. Do not use random phone numbers from search results or links from suspicious messages. IRS refund issues attract scammers because people are stressed and waiting for money.

How do you know whether to wait or respond?

You should wait if there is no notice, no request for information, and no clear action required. You should respond promptly if the IRS sends a letter asking for documents, identity verification, or corrections.

Before you call the IRS or amend your return, work through this checklist:

Pull your account transcript.
Use the IRS Get Transcript tool if you can access your online account.
Confirm the tax year.
Make sure you are reviewing the correct year. This sounds basic, but it matters.
Look for Code 971.
If Code 971 appears, watch for a notice or check your IRS account.
Compare income and withholding.
Review W-2s, 1099s, retirement forms, unemployment income, and federal withholding.
Check refundable credits.
Credits involving dependents, earned income, or education can trigger extra review if the IRS needs support.
Look for release or refund codes.
Code 571, 572, or 846 can change the meaning of what you are seeing.
Read the actual IRS notice.
Do not respond based only on online comments or guesses. The notice controls the next step.

This is also where a transcript review helps. The goal is not to “fight” the IRS blindly. The goal is to compare the IRS account activity against the return you filed and figure out what changed, what is missing, and what the IRS may be questioning.

For help interpreting multiple codes together, you can also use our transcript codes resource.

How long can a Code 570 refund hold take?

There is no single timeline for IRS Code 570 because the hold depends on why the IRS paused the refund.

The IRS says electronically filed Form 1040 returns are generally processed within 21 days, but that does not include returns that require error correction or other special handling. You can check the IRS page for current processing status.

If the IRS is reviewing your return, the Taxpayer Advocate Service says the review process could take anywhere from 45 to 180 days depending on the number and types of issues being reviewed. That is a wide range, but it is more realistic than promising a fixed date.

Several things can stretch the timeline:

The IRS needs missing information.
Your income documents have not fully matched.
A notice was mailed to an old address.
You need to verify your identity.
You have unfiled prior-year returns.
A refund offset is involved.
You filed an amended return.
The return needs manual review.

If the IRS sends a notice, answer it. If you ignore it, the refund can stay delayed longer. If the IRS does not ask for anything yet, sending random documents may not help.

Transcript codes to check after Code 570

A tax transcript makes more sense when you read the nearby codes together. Code 570 is one piece. The codes before and after it often tell a better story.

Transcript code	What it generally means	What to check next
570	Additional liability pending or credit hold	Look for nearby notice, release, correction, or refund codes.
971	Notice issued or other account action	Watch mail and check your IRS online account.
571	Reversal of Code 570	The hold may have been released.
572	Correction of Code 570 processed in error	The 570 entry may have been removed because it was input in error.
846	Refund of overpayment	Check the refund date and amount.
806	Credit for federal tax withholding	Compare withholding to your W-2s and 1099s.
420	Examination indicator	Review IRS correspondence carefully.

Code 571 and Code 572 are often misunderstood. Code 571 means reversal of Code 570 and releases the freeze status. Code 572 is not just a generic “delay” code. The IRS describes it as a correction of Code 570 processed in error and says it is used to remove a TC 570 or TC 576 input in error in its transaction code guide.

That distinction matters. If your transcript has 570, then later 571 or 572, the hold may not mean the same thing it meant when it first appeared.

When should you get help with a Code 570 refund hold?

You may be able to handle IRS Code 570 yourself if there is no notice, the return is simple, and you understand what the transcript shows.

But getting help can make sense if the issue is not clear.

Consider speaking with a tax professional if:

The IRS notice asks for documents you do not understand.
Your wages, withholding, or credits do not match IRS records.
You claimed dependents and the IRS is questioning eligibility.
You have self-employment or small business income.
You have missing prior-year returns.
The refund is large and has been held for a long time.
You are not sure whether to wait, respond, or amend.
You received more than one IRS letter.

H&S Accounting & Tax Services helps taxpayers with IRS notice review, tax problem diagnosis, transcript review, and IRS correspondence when properly authorized. The point is not to guess faster. The point is to understand what the IRS is asking for before you send the wrong response.

If your transcript and notice do not match what you filed, that is a good time to look at the full picture. You can review our tax problems service page if you need help sorting out an IRS issue.

Mistakes to avoid with IRS Code 570

A Code 570 refund hold can make people react too quickly. That is where mistakes happen.

Avoid these common moves:

Do not assume the date next to Code 570 is your deposit date.
Do not file an amended return unless you know the original return is wrong.
Do not ignore Code 971 if it appears after Code 570.
Do not send random documents before reading the IRS notice.
Do not use phone numbers from unofficial search results.
Do not assume Code 570 means an audit.

The better approach is slower but safer: read the transcript, check the related codes, wait for the notice if one is coming, and respond only to what the IRS is actually asking for.

IRS Code 570 FAQ

Is IRS Code 570 bad?

Not always. IRS Code 570 means the IRS placed a hold or delay on the account. That can feel bad because your refund is not moving, but the code itself does not automatically mean fraud, an audit, or a denied refund. Check the surrounding transcript codes and any IRS notice before assuming the worst.

Can I get my refund with Code 570?

Usually, your refund will not be issued while the Code 570 hold is active. Look for later transcript activity. Code 571 may show the hold was reversed. Code 572 may show it was corrected. Code 846 is the clearer sign that the IRS issued a refund.

What if Code 570 appears with no Code 971?

If Code 570 appears with no Code 971, the IRS may not have issued a notice yet. It may also mean the return is still in processing and no taxpayer action is required at that moment. Keep checking your transcript and mail. Do not amend the return unless you know something is wrong.

What if I verified my identity but still see Code 570?

Identity verification may be only one step. After you verify, the IRS may still need time to finish processing the return or complete another review. Keep checking for transcript updates and IRS notices. If the IRS gives you a timeframe, wait until that timeframe passes before calling again.

Does Code 571 mean my refund is coming?

Code 571 may mean the Code 570 hold was released, but it does not guarantee that your refund has been issued. The stronger refund signal is Code 846. If you see Code 571, keep checking the transcript to see whether Code 846 posts later with a refund date and amount.

Should I call the IRS about Code 570?

Call the IRS if a notice tells you to call, if the IRS timeframe has passed, or if you cannot tell what action is required. Before calling, have your transcript, filed return, IRS notice, Social Security number or ITIN, filing status, and refund amount ready. Calling without those details can waste time.

What to do next after IRS Code 570

IRS Code 570 is a hold, not a final answer.

Start with the transcript. Check the tax year, the dates, the refund amount, and the surrounding codes. Then check your mail and IRS online account for a notice. If the IRS asks for information, respond carefully and keep proof. If there is no notice and no clear action required, waiting may be the correct move for now.

The mistake is reacting too fast without knowing the reason for the hold.

If the transcript is confusing, the notice does not make sense, or the numbers do not match your filed return, get help before sending a rushed response. A calm review can save time, especially when income, withholding, credits, dependents, or prior-year returns are involved.