IRS Transcripts

Code 570 on IRS Transcript: What the Account Hold Means (2025)

By Angeline Balsitis, EA · Reviewed by Melissa Ly, Chief Tax Officer · Updated November 27, 2025 · Editorial Standards

What code 570 means on your transcript

When you pull your account transcript and spot code 570 on your IRS transcript, it can feel alarming — especially when you're waiting on a refund. Take a breath. Transaction code 570 simply means "Additional account action pending." The IRS has paused your account while it finishes a review. The most common effect is that your refund is held until the review is done.

If you're new to reading these codes, our guide on how to read an IRS account transcript walks through every column. You can pull the transcript itself any time through getting your transcripts online. The official list of what each code means lives on the IRS Get Transcript page.

Why code 570 appeared on your account

The IRS doesn't print the reason on the transcript, so you're left guessing. Here are the most common triggers:

• Income that doesn't match. The wages, withholding, or 1099 income on your return doesn't line up with what employers or payers reported. This is the single most common cause.
• Identity or return verification. The IRS wants to confirm you really filed the return. If so, you may get a verification letter like a 5071C identity verification letter.
• Refund or credit review. A claimed credit — earned income, child tax, education, or fuel credits — is being double-checked before the refund goes out.
• A pending adjustment. The IRS is changing a number on your return, and the hold keeps things still until the new figure posts.
• A balance or offset. You owe from another year, or part of your refund is being applied elsewhere.

None of these mean you did something wrong. A code 570 hold is the system's way of saying "wait" while a human or another automated check finishes the job.

The transcript code sequence: what comes next

Code 570 rarely stands alone. It's one step in a short sequence of transaction codes. Knowing the order tells you exactly where you stand:

1. Code 570 — Additional account action pending. The hold is on. You are here.
2. Code 971 — Notice issued (when present). A letter is on its way explaining the review or asking for information. Watch your mail.
3. Code 571 or 572 — Resolved additional account action. The hold is released. This is the code you want to see.
4. Code 846 — Refund issued. The freeze is gone, the refund is approved, and a date is attached.

If you see a 570 with no 971 and no letter, the hold may clear by itself. If a 971 sits next to your 570, the IRS is going to ask you for something — and your job is to answer it on time.

What happens if you ignore it

For a plain code 570 with no notice, "ignoring it" often just means waiting — and the hold may release on its own. The risk shows up when the IRS does ask for something and you don't respond:

• The hold never lifts. If the IRS needs you to verify your identity or explain a mismatch and you don't reply, your refund stays frozen indefinitely.
• A mismatch becomes a bill. Unanswered income questions can turn into a CP2000 notice proposing extra tax, penalties, and interest.
• You lose time on a refund clock. Old refunds expire. If a held refund is for a prior year, the three-year deadline still applies.

In 2025, IRS staffing is stretched thin, which means reviews can sit longer — but the automated holds and notices keep moving. The smartest move is to stay on top of your transcript and your mailbox.

Your options when code 570 won't clear

If weeks have passed and the hold hasn't released, here's how to push it forward:

• Check for a 971 and any letter. If a notice was issued, the fastest path is simply responding to it with the documents it asks for.
• Compare your return to your wage records. Pull your wage and income transcript and make sure what you filed matches what employers reported. Fixing a mismatch yourself can shorten the review.
• Call the IRS. If it's been more than 60 days with no movement and no letter, a phone call can tell you what's holding it. Our guide on what to say when calling the IRS has scripts that get answers.
• Contact the Taxpayer Advocate. If the hold is causing real financial hardship, the Taxpayer Advocate Service is a free, independent part of the IRS that can step in.

How to respond to code 570, step by step

1. Read the full transcript. Note whether a code 971 sits beside your 570, and check the dates next to each code.
2. Watch your mail. If 971 is present, a letter is coming. Don't act on the 570 alone — let the notice tell you what the IRS wants.
3. Verify your identity if asked. If a 5071C, 4883C, or similar letter arrives, complete the verification right away. The hold won't lift until you do.
4. Match your numbers. Compare your filed income and withholding to your wage and income transcript. Correct any honest mistakes with an amended return if needed.
5. Track your refund status weekly. When a 571/572 and then an 846 appear, you're in the clear.
6. Get help if it stalls. If the hold drags past 60 days or a notice proposes extra tax, an experienced tax professional can review the file and respond for you.

Code 570 questions, answered

This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice for your specific situation. Eligibility for IRS programs depends on individual facts and circumstances; no outcome is guaranteed.

Related: learn how to read an IRS account transcript, pull your records by getting your transcripts online, or browse all guides.