Your amended return (1040-X) or claim has been recorded — the result comes later as 290 or 291. Here is what it means, what usually happens next, and what to do.
On your account transcript it reads: 977 Amended return filed Informational
TC 977 posts when the IRS has received and recorded your amended return (Form 1040-X) or claim on the account. It is the processing marker, not the result — the tax change itself arrives separately as a TC 290 (increase) or TC 291 (decrease).
Also written as: IRS code 977, code 977 on transcript, 977 IRS code, transaction code 977.
Amended returns are slow: the IRS's general guidance is 8 to 12 weeks, and it can take 16 weeks or longer. The Where's My Amended Return tool tracks the stages. Completion shows as a 290 or 291, then a refund (846) or a notice explaining the result.
| On the same transcript | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| 971 'Amended tax return or claim forwarded' → 977 | Received, routed and recorded for processing. |
| 977 → 291 → 846 | Amended return reduced the tax; refund issued. |
| 977 → 290 | Amended return increased the tax; a bill follows. |
Updates lag, but it confirms the stage.
Duplicates slow processing.
That is when the result is final.
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Decode my transcript →The IRS's general guidance is 8 to 12 weeks, and it can take up to 16 weeks or longer.
A duplicate return was posted for the year — often a second original return — which can trigger review.
On your IRS account transcript for the tax year — in your IRS Online Account under tax records, or by mail using Form 4506-T. The transactions section lists each code with its description, date and amount. Return transcripts do not show transaction codes.
Yes. IRS code 977, code 977 on transcript, transaction code 977 and TC 977 all refer to the same three-digit transaction code the IRS posts to your account.