IRS Rep Said to Amend Now, Then 846 Code Appeared - Conflicting Guidance

Ugh, classic IRS mixed signals. This happens ALL THE TIME. Your orig return is clearly processing thru the system WHILE they told u to amend. Now ur gonna have 2 things happening at once. The 846 code = refund from ur ORIGINAL return is otw. The amendment will take 16+ wks to process separately. Don't cash any checks til u know which is which! Might need to call back & get clarification from a DIFF rep bc clearly that 1st one gave bad advice.

Think of your tax situation like two trains departing from the same station. Your original return is the express train that's already moving down the tracks (hence the 846 code), while your amendment is like a local train that just left the station and will take much longer to reach its destination. The IRS agent essentially told you to buy a ticket for the local train when your express train was already about to arrive. Now you'll need to deal with both journeys completing at different times.

I was in a somewhat similar situation last month. Had to call the IRS multiple times to get clear answers. Wasted hours on hold, getting disconnected, and talking to reps who didn't seem to understand my situation. I finally tried Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) after seeing it mentioned here. They got me through to an agent in about 15 minutes who actually knew what they were talking about. The agent confirmed that my original refund would process normally and the amendment would be handled separately. Might be worth trying if you need definitive answers about your specific situation.

It appears that you may be experiencing what's sometimes referred to as "cross-processing" in the IRS system. In most cases, the original return will likely process as indicated by your 846 code, possibly within the next 5-7 business days if direct deposit was selected. The amendment, however, will probably be processed separately and might take approximately 16-20 weeks based on current processing timelines. You might want to consider documenting everything carefully, including the date, time, and employee ID of the representative who advised you to amend immediately.

This happened to me. Exact same thing. Agent said amend right away. Then got 846 code. Freaked out. Called again. New agent said first one was wrong. Should have waited. Too late now. Got my original refund. Amendment took 22 weeks. Had to pay some back. Plus interest. Be careful.

I actually had a good outcome with this same situation! Got my original refund on the date shown with the 846 code. Then my amendment processed about 3 months later. Since I was owed more money, I got a second refund. Did your amendment result in you owing more or getting more back? Did the agent give you a specific reason for amending immediately instead of waiting?

I've seen this scenario play out dozens of times with clients. Here's what typically happens: Your original return will process normally with the refund issued on 5/1 as indicated by the 846 code. The amendment enters a completely separate processing queue and won't impact your original refund. However, I would recommend setting aside the original refund amount until the amendment finalizes (especially if it will result in you owing money). In my experience, the best approach would have been waiting for the original to process first, but you're not in a problematic situation - just a slightly more complex one.

Let me clarify what's happening with your situation: • The 846 code with date 5/1/24 means your original return is processing normally • Your refund from the original return will likely be issued on or around May 1st • Your amendment (1040-X) has entered a separate processing queue • Amendment processing typically takes 16-20 weeks currently • The two processes will run independently of each other This is actually a common scenario, though the agent's advice to amend immediately rather than wait was questionable. I would recommend keeping detailed records of both processes.