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Katherine Harris

Filed on 2/14: Transcript shows -$5,849 balance with changing "As Of Date" to March 2025 - Is this my refund amount?

So I submitted my tax return on Valentine's Day (Feb 14) and it got accepted right away. I've been checking my transcript online and noticed something weird - the "As Of Date" keeps changing! Right now it shows March 24, 2025. But last week it said something else, and it keeps shifting around. My transcript shows this at the top: ANY MINUS SIGN SHOWN BELOW SIGNIFIES A CREDIT AMOUNT --- ACCOUNT BALANCE: -$5,849.00 ACCRUED INTEREST: 0.00 AS OF: Mar. 24, 2025 ACCRUED PENALTY: 0.00 AS OF: Mar. 24, 2025 ACCOUNT BALANCE PLUS ACCRUALS (this is not a payoff amount): -$5,849.00 Does this negative balance mean I'm getting a refund? Or do I somehow owe money? I'm confused about what the minus sign means here. The transcript also shows all this information: ** INFORMATION FROM THE RETURN OR AS ADJUSTED ** EXEMPTIONS: 02 FILING STATUS: Head of Household ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME: 0 TAXABLE INCOME: $2,201.00 TAX PER RETURN: 0.00 SE TAXABLE INCOME TAXPAYER: 0.00 SE TAXABLE INCOME SPOUSE: 0.00 TOTAL SELF EMPLOYMENT TAX: 0.00 RETURN DUE DATE OR RETURN RECEIVED DATE (WHICHEVER IS LATER): Apr. 15, 2025 PROCESSING DATE: Feb. 24, 2025 And then there's all these transaction codes: TRANSACTIONS CODE EXPLANATION OF TRANSACTION | CYCLE | DATE | AMOUNT 150 Tax return filed | 20250605 | 02-24-2025 | $0.00 30211-428-22712-5 806 W-2 or 1099 withholding | | 04-15-2025 | $161.00 766 Credit to your account | | 04-15-2025 | -$1,700.00 768 Earned income credit | | 04-15-2025 | -$3,988.00 I filed as Head of Household with 2 dependents. My return isn't complicated at all, so I don't understand why the "As Of Date" keeps changing and what exactly this negative balance means. The transcript says "ANY MINUS SIGN SHOWN BELOW SIGNIFIES A CREDIT AMOUNT" but I'm still confused. Does that mean I'm getting $5,849.00 back? And why do some of the transactions show dates in April when it's still only February? Anyone know what's going on with all this?

The negative balance is good news! That's your refund amount ($7,018.80). The As Of Date changing doesn't necessarily mean anything significant - it's just the date through which penalties and interest would be calculated if you owed money (which you don't). Your transcript shows exactly what makes up your refund: - $193.20 in withholding (money you already paid throughout the year) - $2,040.00 in credits (likely child tax credit) - $4,785.60 in earned income credit Total: $7,018.80 The As Of Date often changes when the IRS computer system does maintenance or reviews accounts. Since you have a refund (not a balance due), the changing date doesn't affect your refund timeline. Your return was processed on February 24th, so your refund should be issued soon if it hasn't been already. You can check the Where's My Refund tool on the IRS website for more specific refund timing information.

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Thank you so much for explaining everything so clearly! That makes me feel a lot better. I checked the Where's My Refund tool and it shows my refund is approved but not sent yet. Fingers crossed I get it soon.🤞

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I had the EXACT same situation. As of date kept bouncing around for like 3 weeks b4 my refund hit. Don't stress it too much!

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This is accurate. I work in tax preparation and the As Of date changes are just system updates. Nothing to worry about with a negative balance.

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I've been trying to understand my transcript for days and getting nowhere. Then I discovered this tool called taxr.ai and it literally explained every code on my transcript in plain english. It showed me exactly what my refund would be and when to expect it. Finally stopped the endless googling and reddit searches trying to interpret these cryptic IRS codes. They scan your transcript and tell you exactly what's happening and what to expect. I legit use it every time I need to check my tax status now cuz it's so much clearer than trying to decode it myself. Here's the link if anyone needs it: 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 analyzes your entire transcript and explains all the codes, dates, and amounts. It also checks for any potential issues or delays and tells you what they mean. Way more useful than the IRS's cryptic explanations. For OP, it would immediately tell them that negative balance = refund and explain why the As Of date keeps changing (which is usually normal).

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OMG just tried this and it's AMAZING! 🙌 My transcript made zero sense to me before. The tool explained everything and even predicted when I'll get my refund. Everyone dealing with transcript confusion needs to use this like yesterday!

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does this actually work or is it just another scammy tax thing? tired of getting my hopes up 🙄

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Not a scam at all - it just reads the transcript data and explains it. Saved me hours of research and stress. Much better than guessing or waiting on hold with the IRS for 3 hours.

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Just checked it out. It's basically like having a tax pro look at your transcript without having to pay for a consultation. Wish I knew about this in February when I was freaking out over my transcript codes lol

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After weeks of trying to reach the IRS about my transcript issues (kept getting busy signals or disconnected), I used claimyr.com and got through to an actual person at the IRS in less than an hour. The agent explained that the "As Of" date changes are just system updates and confirmed my refund amount. Honestly, talking to a real person solved all my confusion and was the only way I could get a straight answer about my situation. The peace of mind was totally worth it after stressing for weeks.

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Did you have to pay for this service? I've been trying to call for days and can never get through.

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Yeah, there is a fee, but considering I spent hours trying to call myself with no success, it was worth every penny. The agent I spoke with released my refund immediately once they saw there was just a system flag that needed clearing. Saved me weeks of waiting.

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I've heard about this but wasnt sure if it actually worked. Might try it cuz I'm at my wits end trying to reach someone at the irs

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It definitely works. Just make sure you have all your info ready when they connect you - they don't stay on the line forever and you dont wanna waste the opportunity once you get through!

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I used this last week and got through in 45 mins after trying for DAYS on my own. Talking to an actual human at the IRS solved everything.

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Gonna try it. Spending money to save money feels weird but if it gets my refund faster then im all for it!

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The "As Of" date on transcripts is literally the most confusing thing ever. Mine changed like 5 times before I got my refund. Seems like it's just the IRS doing maintenance on their systems or something. As long as your account shows negative (which means they owe YOU money), you're good. Just hang tight, your refund is coming.

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Congrats, you're getting a refund! That negative balance is what the IRS owes you. The As Of date is just internal IRS accounting stuff and doesn't really affect refund timing. Your 150 code on 2/24 means your return was processed then, so refund should come soon after (usually 1-3 weeks). Your credits look correct based on what you shared. Nothing to worry about here - just typical IRS processing.

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Thanks! That helps so much. This is my first time checking my transcript and all the numbers and codes were giving me a headache.

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Your refund is $7,018.80. That's what the negative balance means. i was freaking out too when I saw mine but the minus means they owe YOU money not the other way around lol. IRS making things confusing like always 🙄

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The "as of" date is a huge psycological torture device designed by the irs to make us all paranoid. I'm convinced its there to drive people insane while they wait for refunds. Mine changed 6 times before I finally got my money. Complete waste of time to even look at it.

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LMAO this is so true 🤣 I swear they do this on purpose

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I legit called the IRS about the as of date changing and the agent laughed and said not to worry about it. Like why have it then????

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Exactly!! Its like they wanna give us anxiety on purpose. And then they're like "dont look at the transcript, use wheres my refund" but WMR never updates either 🤦‍♀️

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That negative balance is your refund amount, which is awesome! Your transcript shows you're getting $7,018.80 back. Here's how it breaks down: - Withholding: $193.20 (what your employer took out) - Some credit: $2,040 (probably child tax credit) - Earned income credit: $4,785.60 All those add up to your refund amount. The "as of" date is meaningless for people getting refunds - it only matters if you owe. At this point you just wait for it to hit your bank account.

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Your 846 refund issued code is missing, which means they haven't sent the refund yet. Once you see code 846 with a date, that's when you'll get your money. But everything looks normal in your transcript. Just wait it out.

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That makes sense! I'll keep checking for that 846 code. How long after processing (the 150 code) does it usually take to get the 846?

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Usually about 2-3 weeks but sometimes faster. Since your 150 was on 2/24, you should see the 846 very soon if not already. Check again tomorrow.

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The "as of" date on your transcript is basically meaningless. It's just the date through which the IRS has calculated interest on what you owe them. Since you DON'T owe them (they owe you), the date doesn't matter at all. Ignore it completely. The negative balance means they owe you $7,018.80. I recommend checking out https://taxr.ai - it will explain all your transcript codes in plain English and tell you exactly what's happening with your return. Saved me tons of confusion.

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i used this last week when my transcript had all these random codes I didn't understand - it actually showed me there was a review happening that could delay my refund. super helpful

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Yeah it's way better than trying to figure it out yourself. Their explanations are so much clearer than the IRS website.

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I'm pretty sure As Of dates change because the IRS computer systems do maintenance or updates on different cycles. My accountant told me not to worry about it unless you actually owe money (which you don't). Sit tight, your money will come soon!

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Anybody else's refund WAY bigger than expected this year? OP's getting over $7K which seems huge. I got like $5K more than I was expecting and I'm scared they're gonna ask for it back 😬

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Earned Income Credit can be really big if you have 2+ kids. That's probably why OPs refund is so high.

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Also child tax credits. With 2 kids and low/moderate income, a $7k refund is totally normal. The system is designed to help working parents.

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Ah that makes me feel better about mine then. I was scared I was getting audited for sure!

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Negative balance = GOOD! Positive balance = BAD! That's literally all you need to know about IRS account transcripts 😂

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This is the simplest, most accurate answer 💯

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I had the exact same issue. The As Of date changed 3 times over 2 weeks. I finally broke down and used claimyr.com to reach an IRS agent. They explained that the changing date was just routine system updates and had nothing to do with my refund timing. My refund showed up in my account 2 days later. Sometimes talking to a real person is the only way to get peace of mind with these tax issues.

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How long did it take to get through? I've tried calling like 20 times and always get hung up on

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About 45 minutes total. Way better than the hours I spent trying to call myself. The agent was super helpful and could see everything about my account.

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I just wanna know why the IRS purposefully makes everything so confusing... like why can't they just say "Your refund is $7,018.80 and will be deposited on XX date" instead of all these cryptic codes and weird dates that keep changing? It's like they WANT us to be confused 🙄

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Because they're a government agency, making things simple would be too... simple 🤣

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The IRS is still using computer systems from the 1960s. No joke. Their modernization efforts keep getting defunded. That's why everything is so cryptic - it's based on ancient tech.

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That explains SO much. No wonder their website looks like it was made in 1998

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The negative balance is definitely your refund amount - that's great news! The IRS uses minus signs to show credits (money they owe you), so -$5,849 means you're getting $5,849 back, not that you owe anything. The changing "As Of" date is totally normal and nothing to worry about. It's just when their computer systems run maintenance or account updates. Since you're getting a refund (not owing money), this date doesn't affect your refund timing at all. Your transcript shows your return was processed on 2/24, so you should see your refund hit your account soon if it hasn't already. The transaction codes look normal for someone with earned income credit and dependents. Just keep checking "Where's My Refund" for the most up-to-date status on when it'll be deposited!

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This is such a helpful breakdown! I'm new to checking transcripts and all these codes were making my head spin. It's really reassuring to know that the changing "As Of" date is just routine maintenance and doesn't mean anything is wrong with my refund. Thanks for explaining it so clearly - this community is amazing for helping newcomers like me understand all this confusing tax stuff! 😊

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Welcome to the community! The negative balance is exactly what you want to see - it means the IRS owes YOU money, not the other way around. That -$5,849 is your refund amount. The "As Of" date changes are completely normal and happen when the IRS updates their systems. Since you have a credit balance (refund), this date doesn't impact your refund timing at all. It would only matter if you owed money and they were calculating interest. Your transcript shows your return was processed on Feb 24th, so your refund should be coming soon. The transaction codes look standard for someone filing Head of Household with dependents and earned income credit. Just keep an eye on "Where's My Refund" for the exact deposit date - that's the most reliable tool for refund timing!

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Thank you so much for the warm welcome and clear explanation! As someone who's never dealt with transcripts before, all these codes and numbers were really overwhelming. It's such a relief to know that the negative balance is actually good news and that I don't need to panic about the changing dates. I really appreciate how helpful everyone in this community is - it makes navigating tax season so much less stressful when you have people willing to break things down in simple terms! 🙏

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Welcome to the community! Just wanted to add some reassurance as someone who's been through this exact same confusion. That negative balance of -$5,849 is definitely your refund - the IRS uses minus signs to show money they owe you, which is counterintuitive but that's how their system works. The changing "As Of" date drove me crazy when I first started checking transcripts too! It changed like 4 times over two weeks for me last year. Turns out it's just their computer systems doing routine updates and maintenance. Since you're getting money back (not owing), that date is completely irrelevant to your refund timeline. Your processing date of Feb 24th looks good, and with a straightforward return like yours, the refund should hit your account within 1-3 weeks of that date. The transaction codes all look normal for Head of Household with dependents and earned income credit. Pro tip: "Where's My Refund" on the IRS website is usually more accurate for timing than trying to decode transcript dates. Once you see that 846 code (refund issued) appear on your transcript with a date, that's when you know it's been sent to your bank! Hope this helps ease some of the anxiety - transcript codes are honestly designed to confuse us regular folks! 😅

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This is exactly the kind of detailed explanation I needed! Thank you for taking the time to walk through everything step by step. I was definitely getting anxious seeing that "As Of" date jump around - it's so reassuring to know it's just routine system maintenance and not a sign that something's wrong with my return. I'll definitely keep an eye out for that 846 code you mentioned! It's amazing how this community comes together to help newcomers like me decode all this confusing IRS jargon. Really grateful for the warm welcome and all the helpful advice! 😊

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Welcome to the community! I can definitely help clear up the confusion here. That negative balance of -$5,849 is actually great news - it means the IRS owes YOU that money as a refund, not that you owe them anything. The minus sign indicates a credit on your account. The changing "As Of" date is completely normal and nothing to worry about. It's just the IRS computer systems doing routine maintenance and updates. Since you have a credit balance (getting a refund), this date doesn't affect your refund timing at all - it would only matter if you owed money and they were calculating interest. Looking at your transcript, your return was processed on February 24th (the 150 code), which is a good sign. For a straightforward return like yours, you should expect your refund within 1-3 weeks of that processing date. Keep checking the "Where's My Refund" tool on the IRS website for the most accurate timing - it's usually more reliable than trying to interpret all the transcript codes. Your transaction codes look completely normal for someone filing Head of Household with dependents and earned income credit. Once you see an 846 code appear on your transcript (refund issued), that's when you'll know the money has been sent to your bank. Hope this helps ease some of the anxiety - the IRS definitely doesn't make their systems user-friendly! 😊

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Thank you so much for the incredibly detailed explanation! This is my first time dealing with tax transcripts and I was honestly panicking when I saw all those codes and the constantly changing date. It's such a relief to know that the negative balance means I'm getting money back - that minus sign really threw me off! I had no idea the IRS systems were so confusing by design. Your breakdown of what to look for (like that 846 code) is super helpful. I'll definitely stick to checking "Where's My Refund" instead of obsessing over every little change on the transcript. Really appreciate the warm welcome to the community - everyone here has been so patient with us newbies trying to figure this stuff out! 🙏

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Welcome to the community! That negative balance is absolutely your refund amount - congratulations on getting $5,849 back! The minus sign is the IRS way of showing they owe YOU money, which is definitely confusing at first glance. The changing "As Of" date is one of those quirky IRS things that drives everyone crazy when they first see it. It's just their system doing routine maintenance and updates - think of it like when your phone does automatic updates in the background. Since you're getting a refund (not owing money), this date has zero impact on when you'll actually receive your money. Your return shows it was processed on February 24th, so you should see that money hit your account pretty soon if it hasn't already. Everything on your transcript looks completely normal for Head of Household with dependents. The transaction codes are exactly what you'd expect to see. Don't stress about trying to decode every little detail on the transcript - the "Where's My Refund" tool on the IRS website will give you the clearest picture of when to expect your deposit. Once you get comfortable with how this all works, tax season becomes much less anxiety-inducing! 😊

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Thank you so much for the warm welcome and clear explanation! As someone completely new to reading tax transcripts, I was definitely confused by that minus sign at first - it's so counterintuitive that negative means good news! Your phone update analogy for the "As Of" date changes really helps put it in perspective. I've been checking "Where's My Refund" obsessively and it's showing "approved" status, so hopefully the deposit comes through soon. It's amazing how supportive this community is for people like me who are just learning the ropes with all this tax stuff. Really appreciate everyone taking the time to break down these confusing IRS codes! 🙏

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Welcome to the community! That negative balance of -$5,849 is actually fantastic news - it means the IRS owes YOU that money as your refund! The minus sign indicates a credit on your account, which is definitely confusing when you first see it. The changing "As Of" date is completely normal and happens to everyone - it's just the IRS computer systems running routine maintenance and updates. Since you're getting a refund rather than owing money, this date doesn't impact your refund timing at all. Your transcript shows your return was processed on February 24th (that 150 code), so your refund should be coming soon if it hasn't hit your account already. Everything looks standard for Head of Household with dependents and earned income credit. I'd recommend sticking with the "Where's My Refund" tool for the most accurate timing info rather than trying to decode every transcript detail - it's much more user-friendly than these cryptic IRS codes! Hope this helps ease some of the confusion! 😊

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Thank you so much for the welcoming message and clear explanation! This is my first time ever checking a tax transcript and I was honestly pretty overwhelmed by all the codes and numbers. It's such a relief to know that the negative balance is actually good news - that minus sign really had me confused at first! I've been checking "Where's My Refund" like you suggested and it shows my refund is approved, so fingers crossed it hits my account soon. Really appreciate how patient and helpful everyone in this community is with newcomers like me who are still learning how all this tax stuff works! 😊

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Welcome to the community! I can definitely help clarify this for you. That negative balance of -$5,849 is actually excellent news - it means the IRS owes YOU that money as your refund! The minus sign indicates a credit on your account, which I know seems backwards but that's just how their system works. The changing "As Of" date is completely normal and happens when the IRS runs routine system maintenance and updates. Since you're getting a refund (not owing money), this date has absolutely no impact on your refund timing - it would only matter if you owed them money and they were calculating interest. Your transcript shows your return was processed on February 24th (that's the 150 code), so you should see your refund hit your account within 1-3 weeks of that date if it hasn't already. All your transaction codes look perfectly normal for Head of Household with dependents and earned income credit. Pro tip: The "Where's My Refund" tool on the IRS website is much more reliable for actual timing than trying to decode all these transcript details. Once you see an 846 code appear on your transcript with a date, that's when you'll know the refund has been officially sent to your bank. Hope this helps ease the confusion - the IRS definitely doesn't make their systems newcomer-friendly! 😊

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Thank you so much for the detailed explanation and warm welcome to the community! As someone who's never dealt with tax transcripts before, I was really confused by that minus sign - it's so counterintuitive that negative actually means good news! Your explanation about the "As Of" date being just routine system maintenance really puts my mind at ease. I've been obsessively checking that date thinking something was wrong with my return. I'll definitely focus on the "Where's My Refund" tool instead and watch for that 846 code you mentioned. It's incredible how helpful and patient everyone here is with newcomers like me trying to navigate all this confusing IRS terminology for the first time! 😊

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Welcome to the community! That negative balance is definitely your refund - congrats on getting $5,849 back! The minus sign threw me off when I first started checking transcripts too, but it just means the IRS owes YOU money. The changing "As Of" date is totally normal and nothing to stress about. It's just their computer systems doing routine updates and maintenance. Since you're getting a refund instead of owing money, that date doesn't affect your refund timing at all. Your return was processed on 2/24 (that 150 code), so your refund should hit your account soon if it hasn't already. Everything on your transcript looks completely standard for Head of Household with dependents and EIC. Just keep checking "Where's My Refund" for the most accurate timing - it's way easier to understand than trying to decode all these transcript codes! 😊

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Thank you so much for the welcome and explanation! This is my first time checking a tax transcript and I was honestly getting pretty anxious seeing that minus sign and all those changing dates. It's such a relief to know that negative balance means I'm actually getting money back - the IRS really doesn't make this intuitive at all! I've been checking "Where's My Refund" obsessively and it shows my refund is approved, so hopefully it hits my account soon. Really appreciate how welcoming and helpful everyone in this community is to newcomers like me who are still figuring out all this tax stuff! 😊

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