Common IRS Transcript Codes and What They Actually Mean (2025 Guide)

Just to add some crucial info - TC 150 is your return being filed, TC 766 is credit applied to your account, and TC 768 is earned income credit. Also remember cycle codes can tell you when your transcript updates - 05 cycle means Thursday night updates.

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your missing code 960 - thats the real killer. means they sent it to collections 💀

Can someone explain why I got a 420 code but no letter yet??? Been 3 weeks

Pin this post mods! Tired of seeing the same questions everyday lol

idk why they make this so complicated. like why cant they just use normal words instead of codes 🤡

Thanks for this breakdown! Just want to add TC 776 (interest charged on your account) and TC 826 (additional child tax credit). Also heads up - if you see multiple 971 codes with different reference numbers, each one usually corresponds to a different notice they're sending. The reference number after 971 tells you what type of notice it is (like 052 for math error, 051 for general correspondence, etc).

This is super helpful! One thing I'd add - TC 898 is another important one that means they applied a refund offset (like for back taxes, student loans, or child support). Also if you see TC 971 with reference number 131, that's usually the dreaded "we need to verify your identity" notice. Been there and it's a pain but just follow their instructions and you'll get through it eventually.

Great comprehensive breakdown! I'd also mention TC 806 (W-2 wage and tax statement) and TC 807 (additional W-2 wage and tax statement) - these show up when your employer files your W-2 info. And for anyone dealing with amended returns, TC 977 means they processed your 1040X. One more tip: if you see a TC 971 with reference number 012, that usually means they're doing additional review on your return (not necessarily bad, just taking longer). The cycle date next to these codes is key - that's when the action actually happened or will happen.