Reviewing their free IRS account tax transcript is a technique a lot of folks attempt to use to get an update on their tax return processing and refund status; particularly if they are not getting information (or see no bars) from the standard WMR tool or IRS2Go refund status tracker app.
While the official line is that tax transcripts will not help you find out how much or when you will get your refund for the current tax year, there is some compelling evidence from recent tax seasons that this is not always the case.
Especially if you have/are faced long delays (e.g. due to PATH act) and are not able to get refund information via the standard channels or through a hard to reach live agent.
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What Does My Transcript Tell Me?
Once available on your IRS accounts, tax transcripts may actually be a great source of information around updates regarding your refund and potential processing delays beyond 21 days, due to other payments for example.
By using the transcript transaction codes, cycle codes and descriptions you can get a lot of information that WMR/IRS2Go or even an IRS agent does not provide you. See the following sections for more details.
An example of using your tax transcript to get IRS payment information was provided by some readers around their economic impact payments (stimulus checks) for past years who used their (free) tax transcript to get the latest status of delayed stimulus payments claimed on their tax return.
In particular they were able to get information for missing dependent stimulus payments which they had to claim when filing and get paid via their tax refund.
You can also use you transcript to get confirmation when a refund is issued (code 846 line item), if delayed further (code 570) or if the refund payment is frozen for further verification (code 810).
When Does IRS Update My Tax Transcript?
When you file your return, it will generally take 2 to 4 weeks before a transcript becomes available on your IRS account.
Your tax transcript will then update regularly during tax season based on IRS processing actions and your cycle code, so should using in conjunction with the WMR/IRS2Go refund trackers in addition to any official correspondence or updates.
As detailed in this article, mass transcript updates for those with daily accounts (cycle codes 01 to 04)) are usually on Tuesdays; while those with weekly accounts (05 cycle code) processed accounts generally see major updates on on Fridays.
Getting your refund status via your IRS Tax Transcript
While using the official IRS’ Where is My Refund (WMR) tool, Get My Payment tool (GMP) or Child tax credit portal (CTC) is the best way to get the status of your official government payments, it only provides limited information around current processing and payments.
On the other hand your IRS tax transcript, which can take a while to get the latest updates, does provide a lot more information via the various tax codes in the transaction details section.
There is nothing illegal or wrong about this, but it can provide some surety if its been a while since you got an update or just need more information. And given it’s free, it worth getting for some potential peace of mind.
As you can see in the image below, its pretty clear to see the stimulus payments on the transcript, including all the surrounding transactions. Tax Code 766 relate to refundable tax credits, while code 846 means the refund was issued.
So you can now see getting your latest free tax transcript is a good idea because it can give you some more information and clues about when you could be getting your refund.
Transcript Amounts, Codes and Processing Dates
See this article for more transcript examples and how to read the dates and codes as shown below. You can also see more in this video covering IRS transcripts.
Also see this YouTube video on how to use the transcript transaction codes and cycle dates to get an insight into your return processing and refund dates
Does N/A For Transcript Mean the IRS Has Not Received or Processed My Tax Return?
Many tax filers have reported seeing an N/A (Not Available) when trying to pull their current year’s tax transcript. This is despite them having filed a return several days or weeks earlier.
So naturally this creates stress around their return/refund and uncertainty on if the IRS has received or why they are not processing their tax filing.
Seeing an “N/A” though is mainly due to the IRS processing backlog and PATH restrictions, especially during tax season. It happens EVERY year, especially in February and March.
It essentially means that the IRS systems have not loaded your return into the IRS master file for processing, so no tax transcript updates have been generated for the current tax season. Y
You generally need to wait 2 to 4 weeks after filing your return to see a transcript for the relevant tax year filing.
Once your return is assigned a processing batch (per cycle code) your transcript will populate and be available over night and a refund direct deposit date if processing is normal.
If your return has errors or adjustments (e.g code 570 or TC 898 on your transcript) processing can take longer. But those who have zero errors, have this situation, sit tight. Nothing is wrong and your return is in queue for processing. The “N/A” will soon disappear and you will be able to download your tax transcript.
What Your IRS Transcript Can Tell You About Your Refund Delay
If you can view your transcript online you will find out exactly why you are under review by the tax codes that will be listed. If your return is under review then that could be one reason your refund is delayed.
Common reasons returns are pulled and refunds are delayed include the following. You will see codes for these on your transcript
1. NEW changes this year compared to your last 3 years of filing? This will most definitely flag your return.
2. Address Change?
3. Did you file prior to receiving your W-2? (ex: did you use your last paycheck stub?) there could be a math error.
4. Educational Credit (e.g AOTC)
5. ID verification
6. Add/drop dependents?
7. Tax Offset (owed back taxes for a prior year) which will not show up on the offset line.
8. Have you checked the offset line (800) 304-3107
9. Health Care Form (1095A) missing/not included
Reader question: I got to see my transcript. I’m not sure how to find the refund date. A few dates on there.
Response from another commenter: It will be the very last date on the ACCOUNT transcript….you will see 150, (806) withholding 766, 768, then the FINAL 846 Refund Issued. Could be other codes; you can google IRS Codes….if you want to know what they are. You don’t want to see freeze code 971, 570….or a letter has been sent…etc.,
If you can download and view the account transcript and the return transcript; that means the IRS has completed initial processing; but doesn’t mean the IRS has completed the process and your refund can still be held up.
You can use your transcript to check to see if their were any holds, offsets or freezes on your account which could have delayed or taken your refund.
If you can’t view your transcript online to see if there is any issues / codes that indicate something is wrong consider calling a tax advocate.
Hi, my wage and account trans are filled out as of date 6/12/2023 but my work says “Still” pro pressing with the refund amount missing. I do have a child support offset.
Since my wage trans is updated does this mean I only have about another week to wait for refund?
I filled my taxes at the end of January 2022 for last year’s taxes and because my letter for the child taxes credit said one thing and online it says it was more they are pretty much making me pay back that money I don’t see how they can do that but two months went by and I didn’t hear anything from them then I received a letter after letter saying they needed 60 more days and after me calling them and talking to them and not getting anywheres with them I received a letter in the beginning of July won’t me to verify my identity and Im still waiting they never not one time told me that I needed to verify my identity or anything
Due to the backlog there are delays in notifying you. It’s why your transcript is important to understand what is going on or get a sort of a clue as to why the delay. At his point calling a tax advocate may be your only option. The bad part of that you can no longer communicate with IRS for yourself.. the good part about that is you won’t be waiting in vain for your answers or solutions. If your case qualifies for hardship and you can provide proof advocates generally expedite it. All information is on its website. Free transcripts, Free advocates. Don’t delay it took me six months of waiting for my taxes before I contacted one by emergency. Within 14 Working days I received a 846 code on my transcript. Meaning my taxes could come in dd within a week.
I’ve had 3 letters saying to give them 60 days called yesterday was on hold 4 hours to be told they actually have 120 days and that it could be up to Sep 29, 2022 till I hear something. I mean they might as well just keep holding my refund to go with the following year. It’s ridiculous I have a 18 month old baby and a 3 year old grand baby. So I’m struggling just like the rest. I mean I hear they will pay us interest but they can keep that just give me my refund. And have to pay taxes on the interest.
I filed Feb and still no update
I haven’t received my taxes in 2 years. 2019 STILL PROCESSING. 2020 STILL PROCESSING. IM AFRAID TO FILE THIS YEAR IDK WTF TO DO. EASE TELL ME WTF TAKES TWO YRS
I am really not sure why its taking 2 years? Have you check your transcript. You should also talk to tax advocate to help you. See more here – https://savingtoinvest.com/contact-a-tax-advocate-to-help-get-your-refund-released-from-the-irs/
You can file for 2021 (put prior year’s AGI as $0 to process return).
IRS is totally dysfunctional. My 2020 return is still processing but they generated a faulty transcript in which they did not enter the taxes withheld. So instead of a large refund I got a CP14 notice with a huge tax bill. I could download a transcript and see the errors they made. I sent a letter explaining their mistake. They did not bother to read it. More collection notices arrived with threats of asset seizures. After untold hours trying to call their dysfunctional offices, I finally contacted an agent who at first denied any problem. I walked her through the transcript and my return and showed her the missing withholdings. She admitted there was a keying error and promised to send collection notices but she had no authority to correct the mistake or ask the appropriate department to correct the mistake. Finally I made contact with another agent who admitted the error and opened my previous responses. The idiot Instructed to me to file an amended return to correct their mistake.
After I filed my next year return of 2021, they generated another faulty transcript based on faulty 2020 transcript with credit for 2021 refund. Now more collection notices have started coming in whereas they owe me two refunds for the two tax years.
I read that the IRS is now a for profit private organization. I guess that explains why the mediocre service has turned into horrible nightmare. PROFITS!!!
typo correction -promised not to send collection notices- line 7
This is for last year’s tax return still haven’t received them. When will I receive my tax return
I filed March 20 and verified my ID online 2 weeks ago and my wmr says still being processed and my transcript says N/A
Did u ever get it refund. I Id verify on march 28 2022 Nd still nothing. It’s been over 9 weeks Nd transcript say na