IRS Transcript Code 570: Additional Liability Pending or Credit Hold
A hold. Something on the account needs resolving before the IRS will release your refund or move credit off the module.
The official definition, IRS Document 6209
Additional Liability Pending and/or Credit Hold. Indicates additional liability pending. Freezes (R freeze) module from refunding or offsetting credit out.
What it means for your refund
Paused until the hold releases, usually shown by a 571 posting later. Per IRM 21.5.6 the causes include things as routine as an injured spouse claim, a payment creating a credit balance, or income and withholding verification; the IRS redacts parts of the list, so nobody outside can tell you which one fired.
The folklore, corrected
Myth: Code 570 means I am being audited, and it always takes 120 days.
Document 6209 defines 570 as a liability-pending or credit hold; the examination indicator is a different code, 420. And no IRS source attaches a fixed duration: the timeframes in IRM 21.5.6 vary by marker, from 60 days for some referrals to up to 180 for certain reviews.
Reading the transcript around it
Codes rarely act alone: holds (570, 810) pair with releases (571, 811), a 971 often flags the letter that explains a hold, and the refund itself is always the 846 line. The full code index maps the neighbors, including the cycle code and As-of date explained without the folklore. If the account shows a balance rather than a refund, the letters that follow are decoded in our IRS notice decoder.
If the balance behind these codes needs resolving, our guide to what tax relief costs separates the IRS's own fees from what companies charge.
Sources: IRS Document 6209, Section 8A; IRM 21.5.6; IRS refund myth page. Verified July 2026.
General educational information, not tax advice. A transcript entry only means something in the context of your account; a credentialed tax professional can read yours in full. ClearChoiceRadar is not affiliated with the IRS or any government agency.