Code 570 Followed by 571: What Changed on the Account?
Understand the released restriction, read the remaining account history, and separate that change from refund issuance.
Last reviewed: October 25, 2026 • Individual income tax account transcripts
Quick answer: Code 571 reverses the related Code 570 restriction. That is a meaningful account change. However, this entry alone does not establish that every other issue cleared, that your original refund amount remains available, or that a deposit is scheduled. Read the later transactions and current IRS refund status before drawing those conclusions.
You open your transcript and finally see a new entry after Code 570: Code 571. After a long wait, it is natural to ask whether your money is on the way.
Start with the change the record actually shows. Then check the separate questions about the amount, other account conditions, and payment.
This guide explains Code 570 followed by 571 with a comparison table, five fictional examples, and a practical worksheet. You will learn how to describe the update accurately and decide what to confirm next.
What does Code 570 followed by 571 mean?
IRS Document 6209 describes Code 570 as additional liability pending and/or a credit hold. It can prevent an account credit from being refunded or transferred out.
The same reference identifies Code 571 as the reversal of Code 570 and says it releases the 570/576 freeze status. In the sequence discussed here, the important connection is the earlier 570 restriction.
You may see a description such as “Resolved additional account action.” Read that wording with the code and the surrounding history.
The restriction
Locate the original account action and understand its context.
The release
Identify the change recorded by the later entry.
The outcome
Check the financial position and separate payment activity.
Does this tell you why the original hold existed?
Not necessarily. The Internal Revenue Manual describes different reasons for a related freeze and different resolution procedures. The same two-code sequence does not identify one universal review.
For example, the procedures distinguish payment issues from missing return information. Therefore, avoid saying that every taxpayer with this sequence passed the same income review or identity check.
How to read the two entries on your transcript
Use the full account transcript for the correct tax year. A cropped screenshot can leave out an adjustment, another restriction, or a later refund transaction.
Make a short record of each relevant row: code, description, transaction date, amount, and cycle when shown. Also record when you obtained the transcript.
| Item to review | What to establish | What to avoid assuming |
|---|---|---|
| Earlier restriction | The action and tax period being discussed. | Every hold has the same cause. |
| Later release entry | The relevant change in the account history. | The whole account is permanently clear. |
| Financial transactions | What changed in tax, payments, credits, or transfers. | The originally claimed refund is unchanged. |
| Current correspondence | Any explanation, request, or response deadline. | An older instruction was automatically withdrawn. |
| Refund information | Whether separate issuance or an official refund date appears. | The release date is the bank deposit date. |
Why does the old Code 570 still appear?
A transcript is an account history. Earlier entries can remain visible after a later action changes their effect.
Read the sequence as a whole. The continued presence of an old row does not, by itself, establish that the original condition remains unresolved.
What if Code 571 shows $0.00?
Keep the action amount separate from the refund amount. A zero-dollar status entry can matter without adding a payment or creating a new credit.
To find the financial result, review the account’s money transactions. Do not read $0.00 on this row as a statement that your refund disappeared.
What may still need confirmation after the release?
The useful next question is specific: “What remains unresolved on this account?” A broad statement that everything is finished goes further than the two rows establish.
Other account conditions
Check for separate restrictions and later activity. If several hold-related entries appear, ask the IRS which conditions remain active rather than pairing rows by proximity alone.
A later action can also change the picture again. Review the newest complete record before relying on an older screenshot.
Changes to the refund amount
A refund may be reduced by a tax-return adjustment or applied to a debt. The release entry does not explain those financial changes.
Compare the filed return with the current account and any adjustment or offset notice. Identify the explanation before assuming that a smaller payment is an error.
Outstanding correspondence
Read any letter that requested documents or gave a response deadline. If the new transcript seems inconsistent with that instruction, ask whether a response is still required.
For example, CP05A asks for supporting information about income and federal withholding. Follow the actual notice and its deadline; the code sequence alone does not identify which documents your case needs.
Online Account provides selected digital notices, but not all correspondence is available there. Continue checking postal mail as well.
A useful distinction: A released restriction, an available overpayment, an issued refund, and money available at your bank are separate things to confirm.
How long after Code 571 will a refund arrive?
The two entries do not provide enough information to calculate a universal waiting period. Avoid turning someone else’s experience into a deadline for your account.
Where’s My Refund? reports Return Received, Refund Approved, and Refund Sent. The IRS says it provides a personalized refund date after processing the return and approving the refund.
Use that account-specific information and any timeframe communicated for your case. If the expected period passes, follow the applicable contact instructions.
Is the date beside Code 571 a deposit date?
No. Treat the date as part of that transaction’s record. Do not substitute it for a separately identified refund date.
Likewise, a future-dated entry does not prove that a bank deposit will happen on that date. Write down the field’s label before interpreting the number.
What if there is still no refund entry?
Describe the evidence precisely: the copy you checked does not show that event. It does not automatically establish a denial or tell you the reason for the gap.
The IRS cautions that transcripts may omit recent interest, penalties, changes, or pending actions. A downloaded copy is useful evidence, but it is not a complete live view of every internal step.
Five examples: the same release, different questions
These fictional examples teach a reading method. They are simplified excerpts, not official transcript reproductions or predictions of the next code.
Jordan sees the new action
Jordan’s older copy contains Code 570. A newer copy adds Code 571, with no refund transaction shown in the excerpt.
Jordan records the change and checks official refund status. The useful follow-up is whether anything remains pending, rather than choosing a deposit day from an online calendar.
Maya sees additional evidence
Maya’s new transcript includes the release and a Code 846 refund entry. She records the refund date and amount separately.
She then checks current IRS refund status and watches for later changes. Her conclusion rests on the additional payment evidence, rather than the release entry alone.
Luis compares the account with the return
Luis expected $2,400. His correspondence explains a $300 adjustment, leaving $2,100 in this simplified example.
The release does not undo that adjustment. Luis reviews whether he agrees with the explanation and follows the notice’s instructions if he disputes it.
Avery reads beyond the two rows
Avery sees the release but also finds another restriction-related entry in the history. The screenshot shared online had omitted it.
Avery asks what remains active on the current account. Comparing only the first two codes with a friend’s transcript would leave out the central question.
Sam confirms the instruction
Sam received a document request before the transcript changed. The response date is close, and Sam has not received a withdrawal of that request.
Sam contacts the verified notice channel to clarify whether a response is still needed. Sam keeps the notice and confirmation with the account records.
What should you do after Code 570 is followed by 571?
- Confirm the account and tax year. Save the complete transcript and its retrieval date. Keep a previous copy if you want to compare changes.
- Record the actual update. Copy the relevant descriptions, amounts, and dates. Separate what you observed from what you expect.
- Review the rest of the history. Look for later adjustments, transfers, other restrictions, and separate refund activity.
- Read current instructions and refund status. Check correspondence, any response deadline, and Where’s My Refund?
- Follow up on the unresolved question. Use the notice’s verified contact method and the timeframe that applies to your case.
Questions that make an IRS conversation more useful
- Which earlier action does this release resolve?
- Does any other condition currently prevent payment?
- Has the tax or credit amount changed?
- Is a notice response still outstanding?
- Has a refund been issued, and what follow-up timeframe applies?
Write down the date of the conversation, the explanation, and the next step. A clear record helps if you need to follow up again.
Your Code 570 followed by 571 worksheet
Record the change before predicting the outcome
☐ I reviewed the complete account history.
☐ I kept the release date separate from a refund date.
☐ I checked whether any notice instruction remains outstanding.
Keep identification numbers, bank details, addresses, and notice barcodes private.
Code 570 followed by 571 FAQs
Is this generally a meaningful update?
Yes. It records a change to the earlier restriction. Confirm the remaining account position before planning around payment.
Does it guarantee my original refund amount?
No. Review adjustments, offsets, and other financial activity.
Will Code 846 always be the next entry?
Do not assume a fixed next-code sequence. Read what actually appears.
Does $0.00 mean I am getting nothing?
No. The amount on an action row is not automatically your refund amount.
Why is Code 570 still visible?
Earlier entries remain part of the history. Read them with the later actions.
Does this prove I passed an identity check?
The pair alone does not identify that specific process. Use the relevant correspondence and IRS confirmation.
Can I ignore an earlier letter?
Clarify any apparent conflict before disregarding a request or deadline.
Can I use a friend’s timeline?
Use it as their experience, not an account-specific estimate for yours.
Should I amend because the refund has not appeared?
The missing payment alone does not identify a return error. Determine the actual issue before choosing a correction.
What should I save?
Keep the complete transcript, relevant correspondence, response confirmations, and a dated record of follow-up instructions.
Understand the change. Confirm what comes next.
Use the release entry to explain the account update. Use the complete record, current instructions, and separate refund information to assess the outcome.
Official sources and further reading
- IRS Document 6209, Section 8A (2023) — transaction definitions for Codes 570 and 571.
- IRM 21.5.6, especially 21.5.6.4.35 and 21.5.6.4.35.2 — reasons for the related freeze and resolution procedures.
- About Where’s My Refund? — official refund stages and personalized dates.
- Reduced refund guidance — adjustments and debt offsets.
- IRS notice guidance and CP05A instructions.
- Online Account FAQs — digital correspondence and transcript limitations.
RefundTalk is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with the IRS. Examples are fictional and simplified. Your account facts and IRS correspondence determine the instructions and timeframes that apply.