IRS Code 570 Explained: Additional Account Action Pending
Understand the hold, identify the instructions that apply to you, and read later account activity without turning one code into a refund prediction.
Last reviewed: October 24, 2026 • Individual income tax accounts
Quick answer: Code 570 places a hold on account credit while additional action is pending. It does not identify one universal cause, prove an audit, or supply a refund date. Your next step depends on the full account and any IRS notice—not the code alone.
“Additional account action pending” tells you something remains unresolved. It does not tell you whether you must send documents, verify a return, wait for a review, or address another account issue.
This guide helps you find that missing information. It covers zero-dollar entries, Code 971, release activity, fictional examples, and the difference between a waiting notice and a response request. Start with the tax transcript hub if you need help reading the whole record.
What does IRS Code 570 mean?
IRS transaction definitions describe Code 570 as additional liability pending or a credit hold. On a typical individual account, the entry stops account credit from being released while the relevant issue awaits resolution.
The code describes the account action. It does not explain every fact behind it. To understand your case, connect the entry with correspondence and other account information.
The hold
Code 570 records pending action affecting release of account credit.
The reason
The notice, account details, or an IRS explanation identifies the issue involved.
The next step
Read whether the IRS asks you to wait, respond, or complete a specific verification.
Why does Code 570 often show $0.00?
A zero-dollar hold entry does not add or subtract tax through that row. It can still affect release of an existing credit. It does not mean your refund is zero or that the hold has no effect.
Why can Code 570 appear?
IRS freeze procedures describe several account situations involving Code 570. Examples include return-integrity review, missing return information, certain payment situations, and an injured-spouse claim filed with an original return. Different facts require different resolution procedures.
Use these as examples of why the code needs context—not as a diagnosis of your account. Code 570 alone cannot establish an income mismatch, identity problem, or any other particular cause.
Ask: “What issue is holding this tax year’s credit, and do you need anything from me?”
That is more useful than assuming every account with Code 570 follows the same process.
Does Code 570 mean an audit?
The code alone does not establish an audit. Read the correspondence to identify the actual process and instructions.
Does a posted credit mean the review is complete?
No single credit entry answers that question. A withholding or refundable-credit posting can coexist with a pending account action. Review later activity and the IRS explanation.
Read the notice before deciding what to do
Two taxpayers can both see Code 570 while receiving different instructions. Do not borrow another person’s waiting period or document list.
| What you receive | What it means for your response |
|---|---|
| CP05 for a return you filed | The IRS generally says no action is needed. Its guidance says to allow 60 days from the notice date before contacting it if you have not received a refund or further communication. Follow later instructions if issued. |
| CP05A | The IRS requests supporting information. Follow the document requirements, submission method, and response deadline. |
| A return-verification letter | Follow the specific letter’s verification instructions. Creating an online account is not the same as completing a requested return verification. |
| Another notice or letter | Read the issue, tax year, requested action, and deadline. Do not assume CP05 instructions apply. |
The CP05A guidance lists acceptable documentation and says not to substitute a W-2 for requested pay statements. Send what your notice asks for.
If a notice concerns a return you did not file, follow its identity-theft instructions. If the IRS asks you to verify a return, use the official verification guidance .
What if Code 971 appears too?
Code 971 records miscellaneous account activity. If the description says a notice was issued, read that notice. The pairing of 570 and 971 does not, by itself, reveal the letter’s contents or establish a universal refund timeline.
For supporting context, see Code 971 and notice activity .
What shows that a Code 570 hold was released?
Code 571 reverses the related 570 hold. Code 572 corrects a 570 entered in error. IRS procedures also provide other release mechanisms under specified conditions, including certain adjustment transactions.
Do not insist that every account must show the exact same next code. Also, do not assume that any zero-dollar Code 290 automatically releases every restriction.
Release and refund are separate events. Resolving a particular hold does not establish that no other restriction remains or that a refund has been issued.
Read the full sequence and official status. If the release is unclear, ask the IRS which restriction remains and what action is still needed.
Does Code 571 guarantee a refund next week?
No. It addresses the related hold. Other account facts and later transactions determine the outcome.
Original fictional transcript: hold, release, then refund
This simplified ledger is not an IRS-issued transcript. Descriptions are shortened and dates are omitted. The running position is an educational annotation, not a standard transcript column. The sequence does not promise the same events or timing for your account.
| Code | Illustrative description | Amount | Running position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 | Original tax assessment | $3,000.00 | $3,000 debit |
| 806 | Withholding credit | −$4,500.00 | $1,500 credit |
| 570 | Additional account action pending | $0.00 | $1,500 credit |
| 971 | Notice issued in this illustration | $0.00 | $1,500 credit |
| 571 | Related hold reversed | $0.00 | $1,500 credit |
| 846 | Refund issued | $1,500.00 | $0 |
At the Code 570 stage
The simplified account has a $1,500 credit, but the hold affects release. The $0.00 entry did not erase the credit or pay it out.
At the Code 971 stage
The description in this illustration identifies notice activity. The actual notice would be needed to understand its contents.
At the Code 571 stage
The related hold has been reversed. That row alone is not the refund transaction.
At the Code 846 stage
A separate refund entry uses the $1,500 credit. A real account may also contain later cancellation, reversal, or other adjustment activity.
Stop at any earlier stage and the supported conclusion changes. That is why reading only the most reassuring row can be misleading.
Dates and waiting periods: what not to assume
The date beside Code 570 is not automatically a response deadline, review-completion date, or scheduled deposit date. Matching dates beside 570 and 971 do not prove a specific cause or outcome.
Use the date and timeframe stated in the applicable notice or official guidance. Do not start a universal 60-day countdown from the transcript entry: CP05 instructions, for example, refer to the notice date.
A change to an “as of” date or cycle information does not replace the IRS explanation of what is pending. Our “as of” date guide provides related context.
What should you do after finding Code 570?
- Confirm the year and retrieve a current account transcript. Review the full history, not a cropped code screenshot.
- Check correspondence and official refund status. Identify any notice, verification request, or instruction to contact the IRS.
- Follow the specific instructions. Wait when directed to wait; respond when documents or verification are requested.
- Keep a response record. Save copies, submission confirmations, dates, and any follow-up instructions.
- Review later account activity. Separate release activity from adjustments and actual refund transactions.
- Contact the IRS when the applicable instructions call for it. Ask what remains pending, whether anything is required, and which timeframe applies.
Questions worth asking the IRS
- What issue is associated with this Code 570?
- Which notice explains it, and was it sent to my current address?
- Do you need documents, verification, or another response?
- What date starts the applicable waiting period?
- Does another restriction remain after the related hold is resolved?
Use the number on a verified notice first. General individual account assistance is available at 800-829-1040. Check IRS contact guidance and the official refund tools.
What if the delay is causing financial hardship?
Review the Taxpayer Advocate Service assistance criteria . Eligible taxpayers facing hardship or unresolved IRS problems may request help. A request does not guarantee immediate release or a particular result.
Your Code 570 action worksheet
Record the instruction—not a guessed timeline
Keep this worksheet and your transcript private. Do not publish taxpayer identification numbers, addresses, or notice barcodes.
IRS Code 570 frequently asked questions
Does Code 570 mean my refund was denied?
The code records pending action, not a universal denial decision. Read the IRS explanation.
Does it mean an audit?
The code alone does not establish an audit or its cause.
Why does it show $0.00?
The hold entry can affect release without changing the account’s dollar balance through that row.
How long does Code 570 last?
There is no universal duration. Follow the notice or account-specific instructions.
Does Code 570 with Code 971 always mean CP05?
No. Read the actual notice. The code pair does not identify one universal letter.
Do matching dates mean the hold will clear automatically?
Dates alone do not establish the resolution procedure or outcome.
Must I verify my identity?
Do not assume that from Code 570. Follow a specific verification letter if one applies.
What does Code 571 mean afterward?
It reverses the related hold. It is not itself a refund transaction.
Can a zero-dollar Code 290 matter?
Some IRS procedures use adjustment transactions to release restrictions. A $0.00 Code 290 alone does not prove every hold ended.
Should I amend just to remove Code 570?
The code alone does not establish an error requiring amendment. Follow the notice and address any actual return error through the appropriate procedure.
Find the instruction behind the hold.
Code 570 tells you action is pending. The full record and IRS correspondence tell you what that means for your account, whether you need to respond, and what to check next.
Official sources
- IRS Document 6209, Section 8A — Codes 570, 571, and 572.
- IRM 21.5.6: Freeze Codes — account conditions and resolution procedures.
- CP05 guidance and CP05A guidance .
- Verify your return .
- Refund information and contact guidance .
- Taxpayer Advocate Service assistance .
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.