Refund frozen since April 2024 now showing 971/977 codes with mysterious February 2025 date - my tax preparer claims her "assistant" might have filed an amended return?

The 971/977 codes with a future date (February 2025) likely indicate that the IRS has internally created an adjustment to your return - this is sometimes called an "IRS-created amended return." This often happens when they find discrepancies or issues that need correction. The fact that your tax preparer doesn't clearly know what happened is concerning. Here's what you should do: 1. Contact the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 (though getting through is notoriously difficult) 2. Request a Tax Account Transcript and a Wage and Income Transcript for that tax year to see what info the IRS has on file 3. Check if there were any discrepancies between what was reported to the IRS by employers/banks and what was on your return 4. Remember that code 810 means your refund is frozen pending review The future date is normal - it's just the projected date when the adjustment will be fully processed. This might actually be good news if the IRS is making corrections that could release your refund, but you should definitely find out exactly what's happening.

I had this EXACT issue earlier this year. I must have spent 15+ hours researching what all those codes meant, getting nowhere, and feeling like I was going crazy. Eventually I found this tool called taxr.ai that decoded everything for me. It actually explained what each code meant in regular english and gave me a clear picture of what was happening with my refund. Seriously saved me so much headache. Their site is https://taxr.ai

After weeks of trying to reach an IRS agent about a similar situation, I finally found a solution. Used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual IRS person in under an hour! They explained that the 971/977 codes often mean the IRS is making corrections themselves. The agent confirmed my refund would be released after the adjustments. Talking to a real agent clarified everything and saved me from pulling my hair out trying to decipher those codes on my own.

Ok so the 977 code is indeed an amended return indicator. But the Feb 2025 date is probably just a placeholder date, not the actual processing date. The IRS often puts future dates as placeholders. Your tax preparer's response is concerning tho - they should know exactly what was filed under your name. I'd recommend calling them again and asking for specific documentation.

the irs sometimes files corrections themselves. had this happen to me last year. they adjusted my return cuz i made a math error and it showed up as codes 971 and 977 with a date like 8 months in the future. still got my refund like 5 weeks later tho.

Look at your transcripts again. Do you see any TC290 or TC291 codes? Those would indicate adjustments to your tax. The 971 is just a notice indicator and 977 is the amended return indicator. If you see a TC570 that would be an additional hold code. The key is to look for actual adjustment codes that might show what's changing.

I'm a former IRS employee and can tell you that the 971/977 codes with a future date typically mean the IRS is making adjustments to your return internally. This is common when there's a discrepancy between information reported to them (like W-2s or 1099s) and what's on your return. The Feb 2025 date is just procedural - your case will likely be resolved much sooner. Your preparer's response is unprofessional though - they should be able to tell you exactly what was filed under your name.

Bro your tax preparer is sus af. "Maybe her assistant did it"??? Nah that's not how it works. No one should be filing ANYTHING with your SSN without your direct approval. I would be asking for all documentation immediately and possibly reporting them to the state board. This could be identity theft.

Your preparer's response is a huge red flag. No professional should ever file an amendment without your explicit permission and signature. I'd be asking for a copy of anything they filed immediately. As for the codes, others have explained it well - the IRS may be making corrections themselves, but you should definitely verify what's happening.

the irs is a joke. they make us wait months for our money while they "process" everything and then they have the nerve to charge us penalties and interest if we're late paying them by even one day. the whole system is rigged against regular people. i had something similar happen last year and finally got my refund 9 months later with ZERO explanation.

I just wanna say those dates in the future are normal. The IRS computer system was designed in the 1960s and uses all kinds of weird date placeholders. I've seen dates in 2025, 2026, etc. They don't actually mean anything specific - just that the action is pending in the system.

Wondering if anyone else has been seeing more of these random amendments lately? I've had friends with similar situations - refunds frozen and then mysterious amendments showing up. Seems like the IRS might be doing some kind of mass correction campaign. Just a theory.

I was in EXACTLY the same boat until I used taxr.ai to figure out what was happening. My transcript had all these weird codes and dates that made no sense, and I spent weeks stressing about it. The tool analyzed everything and showed me that the IRS was actually making a correction in my favor! It even predicted almost to the day when my refund would be deposited. Instead of trying to interpret all those cryptic codes yourself, just let the AI do it. https://taxr.ai saved me so much time and stress.

just wanted to say hang in there. i went thru the same thing and it was so stressful. took about 2 months after those weird codes showed up but i finally got my refund. the irs fixed some calculation error i didnt even know i had made.

I spent 3 months trying to reach someone at the IRS about a similar issue. Tried calling every day at different times, always got the "high call volume" message. Finally found Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to a real person. The agent explained that the 971/977 codes meant the IRS was making adjustments based on information they had that didn't match my return. Talking to someone cleared up all my confusion and the agent even expedited my case. My refund was released a week later. Would never have gotten resolution without actually talking to someone.

PSA: ALWAYS get a copy of any tax document filed on your behalf, whether original or amended. Your preparer should have provided this automatically. The fact that she doesn't even know if an amendment was filed is incredibly unprofessional and potentially fraudulent. I'd be getting a new tax preparer ASAP.