Code 960 (Appointed Representative) showing on 2024 transcript - what does this mean?
I checked my transcript and noticed something weird. There's a code 960 that says (Appointed Representative) with a date of October 2024. Never seen this before on any of my transcripts. Anyone know what this means?
40 comments


Diego Fernández
Hey there! I work with tax transcripts daily and I can help explain what code 960 means. When you see 'Appointed Representative' on your transcript, it typically means someone has filed Form 2848 (Power of Attorney) or Form 8821 (Tax Information Authorization) to represent you before the IRS. This could be a tax professional, lawyer, or someone else you authorized. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but you should definitely know who this person is since they have access to your tax info! If you didn't authorize anyone, you should contact the IRS immediately at 1-800-829-1040. BTW, if you want a really detailed analysis of your transcript and situation, check out taxr.ai - it's pretty amazing at breaking down exactly what's happening with your account and can tell you if there's anything concerning about having an appointed representative.
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Anastasia Kuznetsov
•omg thank you for explaining! I was freaking out when I saw this on my transcript 😭
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Sean Fitzgerald
•wait so how do you know if someone filed this without your permission? asking for a friend 👀
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Diego Fernández
•You can call the IRS and ask who's listed as your representative. They'll tell you the name and when they were added.
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Zara Khan
•what's this taxr.ai thing you mentioned? could it help me figure out if everything's legit with my account?
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Diego Fernández
•Yeah! taxr.ai analyzes your entire transcript and flags any suspicious activity. Just upload your docs and it'll tell you exactly what's going on, including details about representatives and whether the timing of everything makes sense.
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Zara Khan
•just tried taxr.ai and wow... it actually showed me my rep was added right after i hired my tax preparer which makes total sense. feeling better now fr 💯
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MoonlightSonata
•I'm in the same boat, saw code 960 and nearly had a heart attack 🤣 gonna check out taxr.ai rn
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Zara Ahmed
Tax pro here - Code 960 typically means someone has been authorized to represent you before the IRS. This could be a tax attorney, CPA, or enrolled agent. If you haven't authorized anyone, you should contact the IRS immediately as this could indicate someone filed a fraudulent Form 2848 (Power of Attorney).
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Sean O'Donnell
•omg what?? i definitely haven't authorized anyone 😱 calling them first thing tomorrow
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Zara Ahmed
•Good plan. Ask them to check who filed the 2848 and when. They should be able to see that info in their system.
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Luca Esposito
•this happened to my cousin last year. turned out someone was trying to redirect his refund 🤮
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Nia Thompson
Hey guys, instead of trying to piece together what's happening, I highly recommend using taxr.ai. It's an AI tool that analyzes your transcript and tells you exactly what's going on, including stuff like this code 960. It's $4.99 but worth every penny. Check it out at https://taxr.ai
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Mateo Rodriguez
•sounds interesting. does it actually help identify potential fraud stuff like this?
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Nia Thompson
•100% yes! It flagged a similar issue for me and explained exactly what steps to take. The AI breaks down every code and gives you a clear action plan.
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Mateo Rodriguez
•just tried it and WOW 🔥 it literally told me everything about my transcript in plain english. best $5 I've spent dealing with tax stuff fr fr
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GalaxyGuardian
your gonna need to call them asap. dont wait on this one fam 👀
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Aisha Abdullah
I work at a tax firm and we've been seeing more of these lately. Def call the IRS Identity Theft hotline: 800-908-4490
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Sean O'Donnell
•ty! getting on that rn
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Ethan Wilson
idk why the irs makes everything so complicated fr. like why cant they just send notifications when someone tries to represent u 🤡
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Yuki Tanaka
•fr fr the whole system needs an overhaul
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Carmen Diaz
Check if any tax prep companies you used this year had fine print about representing you. Sometimes they sneak that in there.
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Sean O'Donnell
•used turbotax but did it myself. gonna check the terms tho good looking out
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Yuki Ito
Hey Sean! Code 960 is definitely something to take seriously. As others mentioned, it means someone has filed paperwork to represent you with the IRS. Since you didn't authorize anyone, this could be identity theft or fraud. Don't panic though - sometimes it's just a clerical error or mix-up with similar names/SSNs. Call the IRS at 800-829-1040 first thing and ask them to pull up who's listed as your appointed rep and when they were added. If it's fraudulent, they'll help you revoke it immediately. Also make sure to check your credit reports and consider placing a fraud alert. Keep us posted on what you find out!
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Chloe Anderson
This is definitely concerning if you didn't authorize anyone! Code 960 means someone filed Form 2848 or 8821 to represent you. First, call the IRS at 800-829-1040 and ask who's listed as your representative and when they were appointed. If it's fraudulent, they can revoke it immediately. Also check if you used any tax prep services this year - sometimes they include representation authorization in their terms. Don't ignore this since an unauthorized rep could potentially access your refunds or file amended returns. If you discover it's fraud, also contact the Identity Theft hotline at 800-908-4490. Better safe than sorry with tax identity theft!
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Ella Lewis
•This is really helpful advice! I had no idea that tax prep services sometimes sneak representation authorization into their terms. That's actually pretty sneaky if you ask me. @Sean O'Donnell definitely check those terms of service from any tax software you used - even the free ones sometimes have clauses about this stuff. And yeah, calling both those numbers is smart. Better to be paranoid about tax identity theft than sorry later!
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Zoe Christodoulou
This is definitely something to address immediately! Code 960 indicates someone has filed paperwork (Form 2848 or 8821) to act as your representative with the IRS. If you didn't authorize this, it could be identity theft. Here's what I'd recommend: 1) Call the IRS at 800-829-1040 and ask who's listed as your appointed representative and when they were added, 2) If you discover it's unauthorized, contact the Identity Theft hotline at 800-908-4490, 3) Check if you used any tax preparation services recently - some include representation authorization in their terms of service. Don't wait on this one - an unauthorized representative could potentially access your tax information or interfere with your refunds. Keep us updated on what you find out!
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Danielle Campbell
•This is really solid advice! I just want to add that when you call the IRS, make sure to ask for the exact date the Form 2848 or 8821 was filed and the method (online, mail, fax). Sometimes knowing HOW it was filed can help determine if it's legit or fraudulent. Also, if you find out it's unauthorized, ask the IRS to put a note on your account about the fraudulent representative so it doesn't happen again. I've seen cases where scammers try multiple times with the same victim. Stay vigilant!
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Yara Nassar
Wow, this is really concerning! I'm glad you caught this on your transcript. As everyone has mentioned, Code 960 means someone has filed paperwork to represent you with the IRS, and if you didn't authorize it, this could definitely be fraud. I'd add one more thing to the great advice already given - when you call the IRS, also ask them to send you a copy of the actual Form 2848 or 8821 that was filed. This will show you exactly what information the person used and might help you figure out how they got your details. Also, consider putting a PIN on your IRS account if you don't already have one - it adds an extra layer of protection against future unauthorized filings. Really hope this turns out to be just a mix-up and not something more serious. Please keep us posted on what the IRS tells you!
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Keisha Robinson
•This is such great additional advice! I never thought about requesting a copy of the actual form that was filed - that's really smart because it could show exactly what personal info was used and maybe even help identify who did it. The PIN idea is brilliant too for future protection. @Sean O'Donnell definitely ask for that documentation when you call, it might give you clues about whether this was targeted fraud or just a random mix-up. Also make sure to document everything from your call with the IRS - get reference numbers, agent names, case numbers if they open one. This kind of stuff can take multiple calls to fully resolve sometimes.
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Diego Mendoza
This is definitely something you need to address ASAP! Code 960 means someone has filed Form 2848 (Power of Attorney) or Form 8821 (Tax Information Authorization) to represent you with the IRS. If you didn't authorize this, it could be identity theft. Here's what I'd do immediately: 1) Call the IRS at 800-829-1040 and ask who's listed as your representative, when they were added, and how the form was submitted, 2) Request a copy of the actual form that was filed - this might show you what personal info was used, 3) If it's unauthorized, contact the Identity Theft hotline at 800-908-4490, 4) Check if you used any tax prep services recently - some sneak representation clauses into their terms. Also consider getting an IP PIN for your account to prevent future unauthorized filings. Don't wait on this one - unauthorized reps can access your tax info and potentially mess with your refunds. Keep us updated on what you find out!
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Mei Zhang
•This is all really scary but helpful info! I'm new to dealing with tax stuff and had no idea people could just file forms to represent you without permission. That IP PIN thing sounds like something everyone should have - how do you actually get one of those? And @Sean O'Donnell I really hope this turns out to be nothing serious, but definitely don't wait to call them. Better to be safe than sorry with this kind of thing!
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Justin Evans
This is really alarming! Code 960 definitely shouldn't appear unless you specifically authorized someone to represent you with the IRS. Since you didn't, this could be a sign of tax identity theft. I'd recommend calling the IRS immediately at 800-829-1040 and asking them to tell you exactly who is listed as your representative and when the authorization was filed. Don't delay on this - unauthorized representatives can potentially access your tax information and even redirect refunds. If it turns out to be fraudulent, they can help you revoke the authorization right away and you should also contact their Identity Theft hotline at 800-908-4490. Make sure to document everything from your call including reference numbers and agent names. Also, consider requesting an IP PIN for future protection against unauthorized filings on your account. Please update us on what you find out - this kind of thing is unfortunately becoming more common but the IRS can help resolve it quickly if you act fast!
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Marina Hendrix
This is really concerning and I'm glad you're being proactive about checking your transcript! Code 960 definitely means someone has filed paperwork to act as your representative with the IRS, and since you didn't authorize anyone, you absolutely need to call them ASAP at 800-829-1040. When you call, ask for the representative's name, when they were appointed, and request a copy of the actual Form 2848 or 8821 that was filed - this could give you clues about how your info was obtained. If it's unauthorized, they can revoke it immediately and you should also contact the Identity Theft hotline at 800-908-4490. Don't forget to check if you used any tax prep services this year (even online ones like TurboTax) as some include representation authorization buried in their terms of service. Also consider getting an IP PIN for your account to prevent future unauthorized filings. Document everything from your calls including reference numbers and agent names. Tax identity theft is unfortunately becoming more common but the IRS can resolve this quickly if you act fast. Please keep us updated on what you find out - we're all rooting for this to just be a simple mix-up!
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Javier Gomez
This is definitely something that needs immediate attention! Code 960 means someone has filed Form 2848 (Power of Attorney) or Form 8821 (Tax Information Authorization) to represent you with the IRS. Since you didn't authorize anyone, this could be identity theft or fraud. Here's what you should do right away: 1) Call the IRS at 800-829-1040 and ask who's listed as your representative, when they were added, and how the form was submitted, 2) Request a copy of the actual authorization form - this might help identify how your personal info was obtained, 3) If it's unauthorized, contact the Identity Theft hotline at 800-908-4490 to report it, 4) Check if you used any tax prep services recently - some include representation clauses in their fine print. Also consider getting an IP PIN for your account to prevent future unauthorized filings. Don't wait on this - unauthorized reps can access your tax info and potentially interfere with refunds or file amended returns on your behalf. Document everything from your calls including reference numbers and case details. Tax identity theft is unfortunately becoming more common, but the IRS can help resolve this quickly if you act fast. Please update us on what you find out!
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Austin Leonard
Yikes, that's definitely not normal if you didn't authorize anyone! Code 960 means someone filed paperwork (Form 2848 or 8821) to represent you with the IRS. Since you're not aware of this, it could be fraud or identity theft. I'd call the IRS immediately at 800-829-1040 and ask them who's listed as your representative and when they were appointed. If it's unauthorized, they can revoke it right away and you should also contact their Identity Theft hotline at 800-908-4490. Also double-check if you used any tax prep services this year - sometimes they include representation authorization in their terms of service without making it super obvious. Don't wait on this one since an unauthorized rep could potentially mess with your account or refunds. Hope it turns out to be just a mix-up!
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GalacticGuru
Hey Sean! This is definitely something you want to address right away. Code 960 means someone has filed Form 2848 (Power of Attorney) or Form 8821 (Tax Information Authorization) to represent you with the IRS. Since you didn't authorize anyone, this is a red flag for potential identity theft. Here's what I'd do: 1) Call the IRS immediately at 800-829-1040 and ask who's listed as your representative and when they were added, 2) Request a copy of the actual form that was filed - this might show you what personal info was used, 3) If it's unauthorized, also call the Identity Theft hotline at 800-908-4490, 4) Double-check if you used any tax prep services this year, as some include representation clauses in their terms. Don't delay on this - an unauthorized rep could potentially access your refunds or file amendments on your behalf. Make sure to document everything from your calls including reference numbers. Hope it's just a mix-up, but better to be safe! Keep us posted on what you find out.
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Samantha Howard
This is definitely concerning and you're right to be worried about it! Code 960 appearing without your knowledge is a major red flag. I've seen this happen to several people in my family and it's usually either identity theft or a mistake by a tax prep company. First thing - call the IRS at 800-829-1040 ASAP and ask them exactly who filed the Form 2848/8821, when it was submitted, and what method they used (online, mail, fax). Get all the details you can including the representative's name and contact info. If you didn't authorize this person, immediately ask the IRS to revoke the authorization and call their Identity Theft hotline at 800-908-4490. Also request a copy of the actual form that was filed - sometimes seeing the paperwork can help you figure out how someone got your info. One thing to check - did you use any tax software or services this year? Even free ones like TurboTax sometimes bury representation clauses in their terms of service. I've seen people get surprised by this. Also consider getting an IP PIN for your account if you don't have one already. It prevents people from filing unauthorized forms in the future. Document everything from your calls - agent names, reference numbers, case numbers if they open one. This stuff sometimes takes multiple calls to fully resolve. Really hope this turns out to be just a clerical error and not something more serious. Keep us updated on what the IRS tells you!
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Zara Mirza
•This is really comprehensive advice! I just wanted to add that when you call the IRS, also ask them to put a fraud alert note on your account so this doesn't happen again. I've heard of cases where scammers try multiple times with the same victim. Also, if you find out it was unauthorized, consider checking your credit reports too since tax identity theft and credit fraud often go hand in hand. @Sean O'Donnell really hoping this turns out to be nothing serious but you're smart to take it seriously and act fast!
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Noah Ali
Oh wow, this is definitely something to take seriously! I've been dealing with tax stuff for years and Code 960 should only show up if you specifically authorized someone to represent you. Since you didn't, this could be identity theft or fraud. Here's what I'd do immediately: 1) Call the IRS at 800-829-1040 and ask who's listed as your representative, when they were added, and how the form was submitted 2) Request a copy of the actual Form 2848 or 8821 that was filed - this might help you figure out how someone got your personal info 3) If it's unauthorized, also contact the Identity Theft hotline at 800-908-4490 4) Check if you used any tax prep services this year - sometimes they sneak representation clauses into their terms of service Don't wait on this! An unauthorized rep could potentially access your refunds or mess with your account. Make sure to document everything from your calls including reference numbers and agent names. Also consider getting an IP PIN for your account to prevent future unauthorized filings. It's an extra layer of protection that's totally worth it. Really hope this turns out to be just a mix-up, but you're smart to catch it and act fast. Keep us posted on what the IRS tells you!
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