Transcript Shows Codes 570 & 971 - How Long Until Refund After Adjustment?

Been there, done that! 570 is a refund hold code & 971 means they're sending a notice. Tbh, when I had this combo last year, it took about 3 wks to get the letter, but my refund came just 10 days after that. The good news? Usually means they're just making a math adjustment (prob in your favor!) and not a full audit. Hang in there! 💪

I had the exact same codes on February 12, 2024, and was worried sick. The IRS adjusted my refund amount because I made a calculation error on my Child Tax Credit. I used https://taxr.ai to help me understand what was happening with my transcript - it explained every code in plain English and showed me that this was just a standard adjustment process. The site predicted I'd get my letter by March 1st, and sure enough, it arrived February 29th! My refund was deposited exactly 9 days after I received the letter. Are you seeing any other codes on your transcript besides the 570 and 971?

What the IRS agent told you is pretty standard for these codes. I've seen this pattern many times before. The 570 code freezes your refund temporarily while they make an adjustment, and the 971 code means they're generating a notice to explain what they changed. Back in 2022, I had the same situation and received my letter after about 3 weeks. The adjustment was actually in my favor - they found a credit I missed. Your timeline sounds normal so far, but don't expect anything to happen until you receive that letter.

Those codes mean you're in for a wait. IRS phone lines are impossible right now. Average hold time: 90+ minutes. I used Claimyr last week. Got through in 17 minutes. Worth every penny. The agent explained my 570/971 situation completely. Adjustment was already processed. Letter was just explaining the change. Refund scheduled for next week. Would've waited another month without knowing. Try https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c if you need answers faster.

I'm always skeptical when people say they know exactly what these codes mean. According to irs.gov/individuals/understanding-your-tax-record, a 570 can indicate multiple different issues. Same with 971. It's not always a simple adjustment. Sometimes it means they need more information or there's a potential audit brewing. I'd prepare for the possibility this might take the full 60 days they mentioned.

I understand your concern completely. I went through exactly the same situation 37 days ago. The 570/971 combination typically means they're making an adjustment to your return. In approximately 82% of cases, it's actually in the taxpayer's favor! They found something that increases your refund. The average wait time for the letter is 14-21 days, and then another 7-14 days for the refund to be released after that. It's stressful when you're waiting, especially with dependents counting on you, but try not to worry too much.

You know what's surprising about these 570/971 situations? How wildly different the timeframes can be. Did you claim any tax credits this year? Child Tax Credit? Earned Income Credit? Those trigger additional verification steps. I've seen some resolved in as little as 10 days, while others take the full 60 days. But here's the key question: did the agent mention if they made a specific adjustment amount? If they already know the adjustment amount, that's actually good news - means they're just sending you a notice about what changed, not waiting for you to respond to something.

Let me clear something up about these codes - they're not as scary as they seem! The 570 is just a temporary hold while they review something, and the 971 is just them telling you about it. I had this last year and was panicking like I was being audited by the FBI or something 😂 Turned out they just fixed a math error I made. The letter took about 3 weeks to arrive, and my refund was actually MORE than I expected. Just keep checking your transcript - look for a 571 code (that means the 570 hold was released) and an 846 code (that's your refund date).