IRS Transcript Status: Processing vs Processed - What's the actual difference?

Tax professional here - these terms indicate different stages. 'Processing' means the IRS is actively working on your return, reviewing information, and running verification checks. 'Processed' means they've completed their review and made a determination. However, processed doesn't automatically mean approved - it just means they're done reviewing. You'll want to check for specific codes on your transcript to know if it's approved for release.

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been stuck on processing since february smh

processed just means they finished looking at it...doesn't mean u getting paid yet tho 🤡

My return went from processing to processed back to processing again lmaooo make it make sense

processed = they looked at it. processing = they looking at it. paid = we still waiting 😤

As someone who's been through this process multiple times, I can confirm what Lauren said is spot on! The key thing to remember is that "processed" doesn't automatically mean approved - it just means they're done reviewing your return. I've had returns go to processed status and then get additional review codes added later. The real indicator is looking for specific codes like 846 (refund issued) or 971 (notice issued) on your transcript. Also check your "as of" date - if it's current, that's usually a good sign. Don't stress too much about the daily checking though, once it's processed the refund typically comes within 1-3 weeks if everything is approved!