Code 570 vs. Code 571: How to Read the Hold-and-Resolution Sequence
Learn what changes between a pending-action hold and its reversal—and what still needs to be checked before drawing a conclusion about your refund.
Last reviewed: October 24, 2026 • Individual income tax accounts
Quick answer: Code 570 records a pending-action credit hold. Code 571 reverses the related hold. Neither entry is a refund transaction. Follow the full history, account balance, and current IRS instructions to understand the result.
A transcript can show a hold, a release, and refund activity as separate events. Confusing those events is how a useful account clue turns into an unreliable deposit prediction.
This comparison teaches you to read what changed between the two entries. For a detailed explanation of the original hold, see IRS Code 570 explained . Use the tax transcript hub for the broader reading framework.
Code 570 and Code 571 compared
| Question | Code 570 | Code 571 |
|---|---|---|
| Basic role | Additional liability pending or a credit hold. | Reversal of the related hold. |
| Does it explain the whole case? | No. The reason requires context. | No. It does not establish clearance of every other issue. |
| Can it show $0.00? | A hold can affect release without changing the balance through that row. | A release can change status without moving money through that row. |
| Is it a refund transaction? | No. | No. |
| Does its date predict a deposit? | No. | No. |
IRS Document 6209 distinguishes the hold from its reversal. The practical reading is to identify the restriction first, then determine whether it was resolved and what happened afterward.
Hold
What action remains pending, and does the IRS need anything from you?
Resolution
Was the related hold reversed, and is anything else still unresolved?
Financial result
What credit or balance remains, and is there separate refund activity?
How to read the sequence without skipping a step
- Establish the account position. Read assessed tax, payments, and credits before focusing on the hold.
- Find the Code 570 entry. Record its date and description, but do not infer the cause from the code alone.
- Read any related correspondence. Identify whether the instruction is to wait, provide documents, or complete another action.
- Find the later release or resolution activity. Code 571 addresses the related hold. Read other later entries too.
- Check the current account again. Look for changes to credits, assessments, other restrictions, transfers, or prior refunds.
- Identify actual refund activity separately. A release entry alone does not show that money was issued.
Useful question: “What changed between these entries, and what remains unproven?”
That keeps you focused on the record instead of treating every sequence as a payment schedule.
Original fictional example: three snapshots of one account
This simplified ledger is not an IRS-issued transcript. Dates are omitted, descriptions are shortened, and the running position is our annotation rather than a standard transcript column. Snapshot labels are educational additions. No processing timeline is implied.
| Snapshot | Code | Illustrative description | Amount | Running position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 150 | Original tax assessment | $3,600.00 | $3,600 debit |
| A | 806 | Withholding credit | −$5,400.00 | $1,800 credit |
| A | 570 | Additional account action pending | $0.00 | $1,800 credit |
| B | 571 | Related hold reversed | $0.00 | $1,800 credit |
| C | 846 | Refund issued | $1,800.00 | $0 |
Snapshot A: a credit exists, but a hold is recorded
The simplified credit is $1,800. Code 570 does not erase that amount, but it affects release. The excerpt does not explain the cause or instructions.
Snapshot B: the related hold is reversed
Code 571 changes the status of that restriction. It does not change the $1,800 position through its zero-dollar row. At this point, the excerpt still has not shown a refund transaction.
Snapshot C: a separate refund entry appears
The refund transaction uses the $1,800 credit and brings the simplified ledger to zero. Real accounts can include later cancellations or other changes.
This example omits other payments, credits, interest, penalties, offsets, transfers, and prior refunds. It is a reading exercise, not a forecast.
Why real accounts do not all follow the same pattern
IRS procedures provide several ways to resolve particular freeze conditions. Code 572 corrects a hold entered in error, and certain adjustment transactions can release restrictions under specified conditions. Do not assume every account must display 570, then 571, then 846 in an identical order.
| What you see | Supported reading | Question still open |
|---|---|---|
| 570 without an obvious later release. | A hold was recorded; investigate current status. | Is it still active, and what instruction applies? |
| 570 followed by 571. | The related hold was reversed. | Does a credit remain, and is another restriction present? |
| 571 without a refund entry. | The release is not itself a payment. | What later activity or official status explains the outcome? |
| A credit adjustment between hold and release. | The financial position may differ from the earlier amount. | What amount remains after the adjustment? |
| Multiple hold or release entries. | The full history needs review. | Which entries relate to the current restriction? |
Do not match complex histories merely by counting hold and release rows. If the relationships are unclear, ask the IRS which restriction is currently active.
Can a different restriction remain after Code 571?
Yes. IRS freeze procedures specifically address circumstances in which another function still holds the refund. Resolving the related hold does not establish that the account is clear for payment in every respect.
Dates, Code 971, and common shortcuts
Matching dates beside 570 and another entry do not prove a particular reason or release schedule. The date beside 571 is not automatically a deposit date. A changing “as of” date does not replace the explanation of what is pending.
If Code 971 appears and its description identifies notice activity, read the actual notice. It supplies information the code pair cannot, including the issue and any requested action.
Keep the timeframes separate: The transcript date, notice date, response deadline, and refund date answer different questions. Do not substitute one for another.
Does seeing Code 571 mean you can ignore a notice?
Do not assume a request or deadline was withdrawn. Read current instructions and ask the IRS to clarify any apparent conflict.
Your notice determines whether to wait or respond
For CP05 concerning a return you filed, IRS guidance generally says no action is needed and to allow 60 days from the notice date before contacting the IRS if no refund or further communication arrives.
CP05A asks for supporting information. Follow its document list, submission method, and deadline. Its guidance says not to substitute a W-2 for requested pay statements.
These are different instructions. Neither a Code 570 nor a Code 571 entry establishes which notice applies. Read CP05 guidance or CP05A guidance alongside your correspondence.
What should you do next?
- Use the correct year’s full account transcript. Avoid drawing conclusions from a cropped screenshot.
- Save the relevant correspondence. Record instructions, dates, and responses sent.
- Reconcile later financial changes. The amount before the hold may not be the amount remaining afterward.
- Check official refund status. Do not use a fixed countdown from Code 571.
- Ask a specific unresolved question. Identify the restriction, balance, notice, or transaction you need explained.
Useful questions include: “Which hold was reversed?”, “Does another restriction remain?”, and “Is any response still required?”
Use the number on a verified notice first. General individual account assistance is available at 800-829-1040. Check IRS contact guidance and official refund information .
If an amendment or later IRS adjustment is involved, the IRS recommends a record of account transcript for combined return and account information. See the transcript FAQs .
Your hold-and-resolution worksheet
Track the status change separately from the money
Keep this worksheet private. Do not publish taxpayer identification numbers, addresses, or notice barcodes.
Code 570 vs. Code 571: frequently asked questions
What is the main difference?
570 records a pending-action hold; 571 reverses the related hold.
Does Code 571 cancel the tax return?
No. It addresses the related hold, not cancellation of the return.
Does Code 571 mean the refund was approved?
It is a release entry, not a refund-approval message or issuance transaction.
Why do both entries show $0.00?
A hold or release can change account status without changing the balance through that row.
Must Code 846 appear immediately afterward?
No universal next-entry or timing rule follows from the pair.
Can the refund amount change between the entries?
Other adjustments can change the financial position. Reconcile the full record.
Is Code 572 the same as Code 571?
572 corrects a hold entered in error. Do not treat every 571 as proof the original hold was mistaken.
Do matching dates prove automatic resolution?
No. Dates alone do not establish the issue or outcome.
What if another Code 570 appears later?
Read the current history and ask which restriction remains. Do not assume an older release settles a later issue.
How long does the whole sequence take?
There is no universal duration. Follow applicable IRS instructions and personalized refund status.
Read the status change. Then confirm the outcome.
The hold-and-resolution sequence explains one restriction. The account’s remaining balance, other activity, and current IRS instructions explain what happens next.
Official sources
- IRS Document 6209, Section 8A — hold and reversal definitions.
- IRM 21.5.6: Freeze Codes — resolution conditions and other restrictions.
- CP05 guidance and CP05A guidance .
- Transcript FAQs .
- Refund information and contact guidance .
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 deadlines that apply.