IRS code 846: Refund issued
- Effect:
- Refund issued
- Posts as a:
- Debit
The IRS issued a refund for the amount shown.
What code 846 means
Code 846 is your refund. It debits the account for the overpaid tax, plus any interest, being refunded to you.
The Taxpayer Advocate Service explains when it appears: if your credits and withholding are more than the tax due and there are no issues with the return, the system generates the refund automatically.
A refund can still be reduced after 846 posts if you owe certain debts to other agencies. That shows up as code 898, dated the same as the refund it came from.
What to do
- Allow time for your bank to post a direct deposit or for a check to arrive by mail. The IRS's Where's My Refund? tool shows the latest status.
Codes often seen with 846
- 806 W-2 or 1099 withholding Credit for the federal income tax withheld from your wages or other income.
- 898 Refund applied to a non-IRS debt Part or all of your refund went to a debt you owe another agency.
- 776 Interest paid to you The IRS credited interest it owes you on an overpayment.
- 841 Refund canceled or returned A refund came back to the IRS or was canceled, and the amount was credited back to your account.
Questions about code 846
My refund was smaller than the 846 amount. Why?
If a debt offset took part of it, code 898 shows the amount. The Bureau of the Fiscal Service mails a notice with your original refund, the amount taken and the agency that received it. If you don't get that notice, call the Fiscal Service at 800-304-3107.
Does code 846 mean the money has arrived?
It means the IRS issued the refund. Arrival depends on how it was sent: a direct deposit needs your bank to post it, and a check has to travel by mail.
Source
IRS title: Refund of Overpayment (Document 6209, Section 8A, page 8A-34).
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TTOC Finder is independent and isn't affiliated with the IRS. This page explains what the code means in general. For your own account, check your IRS online account or Where's My Refund?