Filed amended return 4 days after initial filing, now seeing codes 971 & 977 on transcript - will my refund be delayed?

Those codes are definitely related to your amended return. Code 971 is a Notice Issued code - basically means they're sending you a letter about your return. Code 977 indicates an amended return has been received and is being processed. Unfortunately, yes, your refund from your original return will probably be held until they process the amendment. The IRS doesn't want to send you money based on the original return if the amendment might change the amount. Amended returns typically take 16-20 weeks to process (sometimes longer), so you might be in for a wait. I'd recommend checking your transcript weekly to see if there are any updates or new codes that appear. If it's been more than 30 days since you filed the amendment and you haven't received any correspondence, you might want to call the IRS to confirm they received it properly.

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The 971 code is just telling you that the IRS has sent or will send you a notice about your account. The 977 code confirms they received your amended return. Your original refund is probably on hold until they process the amendment. Did you file the amendment electronically or on paper? Paper is soooo much slower.

I'm in this boat rn and it's absolutely frustrating!! My transcript has been showing 971/977 for 11 weeks now with no movement. Every time I call the IRS I get disconnected. I've given up hope of getting my refund anytime soon. The system is so broken. 🤬

Don't panic too much. I had this same situation in 2023. The 971/977 combo just means they got your amendment and are processing it. Your original refund might be delayed but it WILL come. Mine took about 12 weeks from when I saw those codes. Its annoying but normal.

Quick question - did you get any kind of confirmation when you submitted the amended return? Like an acceptance message from the IRS? Sometimes amendments get rejected for technical reasons and you might not know.

Most ppl dont understand IRS codes. The 971 & 977 together normally mean (1) they received ur amended return and (2) theyre gonna send u a letter about it. Your original refund is probably on hold while they look at the amendment. just wait for the letter, it'll explain everything.

Hot tip: Call the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service instead of the regular IRS number. They can sometimes help push things along if you're experiencing a financial hardship because of the delay. Worth a shot if you really need that refund soon!

haha welcome to IRS purgatory my friend 🤡 I filed an amended return last April and didn't get my refund until DECEMBER. The system is beyond broken. Hope yours goes faster!

The timing of when you filed the amendment might actually work in your favor. If they hadn't started processing your original return yet when the amendment came in, they might just process them together. That would be faster than if they'd already started processing the original.

Why did you amend so quickly? If the additional W2 would have increased your refund, you could have just waited for the first refund and then amended. Now everything is on hold. If the W2 would have reduced your refund, then yeah you had to amend.

Are there any other codes on your transcript? Sometimes the full picture helps. TC 570 would definitely indicate a refund hold, while seeing an 846 code would mean a refund was issued.

DM'd you

I swear the IRS does this on purpose...they create the most confusing system possible so regular people can't understand what's happening with their own money. Those codes might as well be written in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics 💀

PROTIP: While you wait, set up an online account on IRS.gov if you haven't already. That way you can monitor your transcript for any updates without having to call. New codes will appear there before you get any letters in the mail.

Those codes can definitely be nerve-wracking to see! I went through something similar last year. The 971/977 combo is actually pretty standard for amended returns - it just means they've received your amendment and are working on it. The good news is that since you filed electronically and caught the issue so quickly (only 4 days), you're probably in better shape than most people who amend months later. I know it's frustrating when you're counting on that money for car repairs, but try not to stress too much. The IRS has gotten better at processing e-filed amendments lately. Keep checking your transcript weekly like others suggested, and watch for any letters they send you. Sometimes they'll just process everything together since your timing was so close. Hang in there - your refund will come through eventually!