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Natasha Kuznetsova

2023 refund held due to missing 2018 return - 570/971 codes still showing after faxing old return per CP63

My 2023 tax refund has been stuck with these 570/971 codes on my transcript. Turns out I forgot to file my 2018 taxes and the IRS sent me a CP63 letter about it. I finally completed my 2018 return and faxed it to the number on the letter about 10 days ago. I was still seeing the PATH Act message on Where's My Refund until today when it suddenly changed to "we have received your tax return and it is being processed." Is this a positive sign? Has anyone else gone through something similar and had their refund released after sending in a prior year return? Really hoping to see movement soon since I was counting on that money.

Yes, the message change is definitely a good sign! When I had a similar issue (missing 2020 return holding up my 2022 refund), the WMR update happened about 2 weeks after I faxed in my old return. The transcript codes 570/971 are normal during this process - 570 is a refund hold and 971 indicates a notice was sent (your CP63). Once they process your 2018 return, you should see new codes appear on your transcript: - Code 571 (resolving the 570 hold) - Code 846 with your refund date Typically takes 4-6 weeks from when you submit the missing return, but it sounds like yours is moving faster. Just keep checking your transcript weekly for those new codes.

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Thank you so much for this detailed info! It's helpful to know what to look for next on my transcript. I'll keep checking weekly for the 571 and 846 codes.

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yes I agree with this comment. I was in EXACTLY the same boat last year. It took 5 weeks after faxing my old return for the money to hit my account.

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This is super helpful. I'm impressed you actually understand all those stupid transcript codes. I look at those things and my brain just shuts down 🤣

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Honestly, I only learned all this because i went through it myself and had to become a transcript detective lol. Those codes are actually pretty useful once you figure out what they mean!

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I was in a similar situation and spent weeks trying to figure out my transcript codes. Eventually I found this tool called taxr.ai that actually explained everything for me. It analyzed my transcript, showed me what was happening, and predicted when my refund would arrive. Seriously saved me from having to learn all these IRS codes and try to interpret everything myself. I use it for all my tax stuff now: https://taxr.ai

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Sounds interesting. How exactly does it work? Does it just read your transcript or does it do more?

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It does WAY more than just read it. It explains each code in plain english, shows you the timeline of what happened, tells you what's coming next, and even gives you a refund prediction date that was spot on for me. It also explained what specific docs the IRS needed from me to release my refund. Trust me, it's a game changer if you're dealing with IRS issues!

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is this one of those sites that charges you just to tell you the same info thats already on your transcript?

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Not at all! I thought the same thing at first but it's totally different. It actually INTERPRETS everything for you and explains what's happening behind the scenes. Like in my case, it identified exactly which prior year return was missing and what I needed to do. Saved me hours of research and stress.

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How much does it cost tho? 🤔

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It's seriously the best money I've ever spent to finally understand my tax situation. I was so tired of guessing what all these codes meant and what was happening with my refund. It's like having a tax pro translate everything into normal human language.

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After 3 months of trying to contact the IRS about my missing refund (also had 570/971 codes), I found a calling app called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real agent in less than an hour. The agent reviewed my case and expedited the processing of my prior year return. My refund was released a week later! Talking to an actual human made all the difference - they could see things in their system that weren't showing on my transcript.

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Did you actually get through to a person? I've been calling the IRS for weeks and keep getting the "due to high call volume" message and disconnected 😡

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Yes! That's exactly why I ended up using claimyr - I was getting nowhere with direct calls. It basically navigates the phone system for you and secures your spot in line. Worth every penny when you consider how many hours I wasted trying to call them myself.

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this seems kinda sketchy. does it actually work?

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I was skeptical too but it 100% worked for me. It was the only way I could finally talk to a live agent after weeks of frustration. My refund was processed right after I finally got to explain my situation to an actual person.

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I can confirm this works too. Used it last month after trying for 2 weeks to get through on my own. Talking to the agent got my refund released so fast after they cleared up the confusion with my 2021 return.

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The IRS is such a joke. They hold YOUR money hostage because of some prior year issue, then make it impossible to talk to anyone about it. Meanwhile they charge interest and penalties on anything WE owe THEM. 🤡 system.

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PREACH! 👏 And they expect us to be tax experts or pay hundreds to professionals, but they can't even answer their own phones

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The system is working exactly as designed. They WANT it to be difficult so people just give up trying to get their money back.

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Facts. They'll send you to collections if you owe them 5 cents but will hold thousands of your dollars for months with no explanation.

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I had this exact same update last month! Filed 2017 taxes that I had forgotten about (oops) and faxed them to the number on my CP63. WMR changed to processing about 8 days later, and then 3 weeks after that I got my refund deposited. The codes will update too - you'll see a 571 (reversal of 570) and then 846 (refund issued). You're on the right track!

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Hmm, my experience was different. I had a similar situation where I hadn't filed 2020, and even after sending in the missing return, it took almost 3 months before anything changed. And I still had to call them multiple times. Hope yours goes smoother than mine did!

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Same. It took forever for mine to process even after submitting the missing return. The IRS is so backed up right now.

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did you actually call and get through to someone? how???

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I used claimyr.com after wasting days trying to get through. It got me connected to an agent who could actually see what was happening with my account. Was sooo worth it.

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Did u get any kind of confirmation that they received your faxed return? I'm in a similar situation but worried my fax went into the void.

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No, I never got any confirmation that they received the fax. The only indication I have is that the WMR message changed, which I'm hoping means they got it and are processing everything now.

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Thanks for the reply! I'll keep an eye on WMR then and hope for a status change. This waiting game is brutal.

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I swear understanding IRS transcripts requires a PhD. All those codes might as well be hieroglyphics to me lol. I was completely lost trying to figure out what was happening with my tax return until I used taxr.ai to translate everything. It showed me exactly what was happening with my refund and predicted the exact date it would arrive. So much better than trying to decode all that transcript nonsense myself https://taxr.ai

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For real!! I thought I was the only one who couldn't understand all those random codes and dates. Will check this out

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Suspicious amount of people promoting this website in these comments 🤔

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I get the skepticism, but when something actually works people talk about it. I was literally losing sleep trying to figure out my transcript before I found this. Worth checking out if you're stuck in IRS limbo like I was.

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Quick question - did your cycle code on your transcript change at all? That's usually a good indicator that something is moving in your account.

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I actually haven't checked my cycle code yet. Where exactly do I find that on the transcript?

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Look at the most recent transaction on your account transcript. You'll see something like 20241705 or similar - that's your cycle code. First 4 digits = year, next 2 = week of the year, last 2 = day of the week. If it changes, that means your account was worked on recently.

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Thanks! I'll look for that next time I check my transcript. This stuff is so complicated.

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wow the irs making us jump through hoops for OUR OWN MONEY. I've been dealing with a similar issue for months now. So frustrating 😤

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Last month I had 570/971 codes and the refund processing message too. To get a straight answer, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get a live agent on the phone after spending weeks never getting through on my own. The agent told me exactly which form was missing and released my refund on the spot! It was the best money I've ever spent to finally get my questions answered and my refund released.

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how does that work exactly? is it safe?

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It's super simple - they basically navigate the IRS phone system for you and get you in line for a callback. I got a real IRS agent calling me back within an hour. Totally changed my situation since the agent could see things about my account that weren't showing on the transcript.

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Mei Lin

Is this some kind of scam? The IRS phone lines are impossible to get through

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Not a scam at all! They just have a system that navigates the IRS phone tree and secures your spot in line. The callback comes directly from the IRS. It was the only way I could talk to a live agent after weeks of calling myself and getting nowhere.

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The WMR update is def a good sign! I had the same message last year and my refund was deposited about 3 weeks later. You're getting close!

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I was stuk in the EXACT same situation and tried calling the IRS literally 30 times with no luck. I finally tried using taxr.ai to analyze my transcript and it showed me EXACTLY what was wrong - missing 2019 return was holding up my 2023 refund. It even showed me a timeline and predicted when my refund would arrive (which was spot on). Wish I'd found it sooner instead of wasting so much time trying to decode my transcript! https://taxr.ai

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Do they charge for this service? It sounds too good to be true.

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It's the best money I've ever spent considering how much stress and confusion it saved me. After weeks of trying to understand those transcript codes myself, having everything explained clearly was such a relief. It literally walked me through exactly what was happening with my refund and what I needed to do to fix it.

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I'm going through something very similar right now! I also had missing prior year returns (2019 and 2020) that were holding up my 2023 refund with those same 570/971 codes. The WMR message change is definitely encouraging - that's exactly what happened in my case about 2 weeks after I submitted my missing returns. One thing I learned through this process is to keep checking your transcript weekly because the codes will update before WMR does. You'll want to look for code 571 (which reverses the 570 hold) and eventually code 846 with your refund date. The whole process took about 5 weeks for me from submission to getting my money. Also, don't panic if it takes a bit longer than expected - the IRS is still pretty backed up from all the pandemic delays. But the fact that your WMR status changed is a really good sign that they received your 2018 return and are processing everything. Fingers crossed you see movement soon!

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This is exactly what I needed to hear! I've been dealing with a similar situation where my 2023 refund got held up due to a missing 2019 return. The anxiety of not knowing what's happening with your own money is the worst part. I finally submitted my missing return about 3 weeks ago and have been obsessively checking WMR and my transcript ever since. The change in your WMR message is definitely promising - that usually means they've received your documentation and are actively working on your case. From what I've read in other posts here, once you see that processing message, you're typically looking at 2-4 more weeks before the refund actually hits your account. Keep an eye on your transcript for those 571 and 846 codes that others mentioned. The 571 should appear first (releasing the hold) and then 846 with your actual refund date. It's frustrating that we have to become IRS code experts just to understand what's happening with our own returns, but at least there's a light at the end of the tunnel for you!

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Thank you for sharing your experience! It's so reassuring to hear from someone going through the exact same thing. The anxiety is definitely the worst part - you're absolutely right about that. I've been checking my transcript and WMR obsessively too, so I totally get it. Really hoping we both see those 571 and 846 codes soon! 🤞

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I've been through this exact scenario! Had 570/971 codes on my 2022 refund because I never filed my 2019 return. The WMR message change from PATH Act to "being processed" is definitely a positive sign - that's exactly what happened for me about 12 days after I faxed in my missing return. The timeline from here should be roughly 2-4 weeks before you see your refund hit your account. Keep checking your transcript weekly for the key codes everyone mentioned: - Code 571 (this releases the 570 hold) - Code 846 (this will show your actual refund date) The 571 usually appears first, then about a week later you'll see the 846. In my case, the 846 date was exactly when my refund was deposited. One tip: if you don't see movement in the next 3-4 weeks, definitely consider calling them. Sometimes there can be additional issues with processing the old return that require manual intervention. But based on your WMR update, it sounds like everything is moving in the right direction! The whole process is nerve-wracking but you're definitely on the right track now.

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This is super helpful, thank you! I really appreciate the detailed timeline breakdown. It's reassuring to know that 2-4 weeks is normal from this point. I'll definitely keep an eye out for those 571 and 846 codes on my transcript. The tip about calling if there's no movement in 3-4 weeks is good to know too - hopefully it won't come to that but it's good to have a backup plan. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience! 🙏

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I went through this exact same situation last year! The WMR status change from PATH Act to "being processed" is definitely a great sign - that means they received your 2018 return and are actively working on your case now. In my experience, once you see that processing message, you're typically looking at about 3-5 weeks before the refund actually gets released. The 570/971 codes will stick around until they fully process your old return, but then you should see a 571 code (which releases the hold) followed by an 846 code with your refund date. The waiting is absolutely brutal, I know, but it sounds like you're past the hardest part. Just keep checking your transcript weekly for those new codes. And don't worry if it takes the full 6 weeks they typically quote - the IRS is still pretty backed up with processing old returns. You're definitely headed in the right direction though!

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Thanks for sharing your experience! It's really helpful to hear from someone who went through the exact same thing. The 3-5 week timeline after seeing the processing message gives me hope - I was worried it might take much longer. I'll definitely keep checking my transcript weekly for those 571 and 846 codes. The waiting really is brutal, especially when it's your own money just sitting there! But knowing that others have made it through this process successfully makes me feel a lot more optimistic. 🤞

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The change from PATH Act message to "being processed" is definitely a positive sign! I went through something very similar where my 2022 refund was held due to a missing 2020 return. Once I saw that processing message update, it took about 4 weeks for my refund to actually hit my account. Keep checking your transcript weekly - you'll want to look for code 571 first (which will reverse that 570 hold), and then code 846 which will show your actual refund date. In my case, the 846 date was spot on for when the money was deposited. The fact that they updated your status so quickly after you faxed the return is really encouraging. It usually means they received it and have already started working on your case. Hang in there - you should see movement within the next few weeks!

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This is exactly what I needed to hear! I've been so stressed about this whole situation, but hearing that the processing message change is a good sign and that you got your refund in about 4 weeks really gives me hope. I'll definitely keep checking my transcript weekly for those 571 and 846 codes. It's crazy how much we have to learn about IRS codes just to understand what's happening with our own money, but at least now I know what to look for. Thanks for sharing your timeline - it really helps to know what to expect! 🙏

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I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! My 2023 refund has been stuck with 570/971 codes because I apparently never filed my 2020 return (completely forgot about it during the pandemic chaos). I got the CP63 notice last month and immediately prepared and mailed in my missing 2020 return to the address they specified. It's been about 3 weeks since I sent it in and I'm still seeing the PATH Act message on WMR, so I'm really encouraged to hear that yours changed to "being processed"! That gives me hope that mine might update soon too. From reading all these comments, it sounds like the processing message change is definitely a positive indicator that they received your documentation and are working on it. Really hoping both of our situations resolve quickly - this whole process is so stressful when you're counting on that refund money. Thanks for posting about your experience, it helps to know others are going through the same thing! 🤞

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I hope your WMR updates soon! The waiting is definitely the hardest part. From what I've read here, it seems like the processing message change can happen anywhere from 1-3 weeks after they receive your missing return, so you might be getting close. Keep checking daily - once that status changes, it sounds like things start moving much faster. We're both in the same boat right now, so fingers crossed we both see some positive movement soon! 🤞

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I went through almost the exact same thing! Had 570/971 codes holding up my 2022 refund because I never filed my 2019 return. The WMR message change you're seeing is definitely a great sign - that's exactly what happened for me about 2 weeks after I faxed in my missing return. From my experience, once you see that "being processed" message, you're probably looking at another 3-4 weeks before the refund actually hits your account. Keep checking your transcript weekly for code 571 (which will release the 570 hold) and then code 846 with your actual refund date. The 846 date was spot-on accurate for when my money was deposited. The whole process took about 6 weeks total from when I faxed my old return to getting my refund, but the hardest part is behind you now. The fact that they updated your status so quickly after you submitted your 2018 return shows they received it and are actively working on your case. Hang in there - you should see those transcript codes update soon!

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This is so reassuring to hear! I've been stressed about this whole situation, but your timeline gives me a lot of hope. It's really helpful to know that 3-4 weeks is typical after seeing the processing message and that the 846 code date was accurate for you. I'll definitely keep checking my transcript weekly - it's amazing how we all become IRS code experts when dealing with these situations! Thanks for sharing your experience and the encouragement. 6 weeks total doesn't sound too bad when you break it down like that. 🙏

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