IRS Transcript Shows "Return Not Present" and $0 Balance - Is This Normal 3 Weeks After Filing?

I checked my transcript today and I'm concerned about what I'm seeing. I got my "Account Transcript" from the IRS and everything is showing exactly $0.00 across the board. According to the transcript, which states "--- ANY MINUS SIGN SHOWN BELOW SIGNIFIES A CREDIT AMOUNT ---", my ACCOUNT BALANCE is $0.00, my ACCRUED INTEREST is $0.00 (AS OF: Feb. 24, 2025), and my ACCRUED PENALTY is also $0.00 (AS OF: Feb. 24, 2025). Even the "ACCOUNT BALANCE PLUS ACCRUALS (this is not a payoff amount)" shows $0.00. Under the "INFORMATION FROM THE RETURN OR AS ADJUSTED" section, it lists my filing status as "Head of Household" with "00" EXEMPTIONS, but then all the important fields are completely blank - no ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME, no TAXABLE INCOME, no TAX PER RETURN. There's also no SE TAXABLE INCOME TAXPAYER, no SE TAXABLE INCOME SPOUSE, and no TOTAL SELF EMPLOYMENT TAX information. At the very bottom of the transcript, it clearly states "RETURN NOT PRESENT FOR THIS ACCOUNT" and under the TRANSACTIONS section, it shows "No tax return filed" with no cycle date listed. The document ends with "This Product Contains Sensitive Taxpayer Data." I filed my return 3 weeks ago, so I'm getting really nervous seeing "No tax return filed" on my transcript. Does this mean they haven't processed my return yet? Is this normal to see all zeros and that "RETURN NOT PRESENT FOR THIS ACCOUNT" message during processing? Should I be worried that my return wasn't received properly or that something went wrong with my filing?

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14 comments

Amara Adebayo

The transcript shows a completely blank tax account status, with $0.00 showing for all financial fields including account balance, accrued interest, and penalties as of February 24, 2025. While the system recognizes your basic filing information (Head of Household status), all critical financial fields are empty - there's no adjusted gross income, taxable income, or tax amounts listed. The key indicator here is the "RETURN NOT PRESENT FOR THIS ACCOUNT" message along with "No tax return filed" in the transactions section. This isn't cause for concern at 3 weeks post-filing - it simply means your return is still in the processing queue and hasn't been entered into the IRS system yet. The all-zero balances and blank fields are the default state before a return is processed. The IRS's current processing timeframes are 3-6 weeks for electronic returns (longer for paper returns), so your transcript should start showing actual figures once processing is complete. Until then, these placeholder zeros and empty fields are exactly what you should expect to see.

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