151 Apr 2026

To help you further, are you seeing any specific (like 1242 or 1262) alongside Topic 151, and have you already received a letter in the mail from the IRS?

A "Refund Offset" is occurring, or your return is under review for potential discrepancies. To help you further, are you seeing any

You must wait for a formal letter from the IRS (usually sent within 4–8 weeks) detailing the reason. The IRS may be verifying income (W-2/1099), checking

The IRS may be verifying income (W-2/1099), checking for identity theft, or validating credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). This means your refund is being held, reduced,

If you do not owe the debt or believe the reduction is incorrect, follow the instructions in the letter to file a protest with the IRS Office of Appeals.

in the "Where's My Refund" tool indicates that the IRS has flagged your tax return for a manual review or a refund offset . This means your refund is being held, reduced, or completely taken to pay outstanding federal or state debts. Key Takeaways of Topic 151

If you suspect identity theft (1242 code), verify your identity on the IRS Verify Identity site.