Reference code 1221.
Refund delayed
Return under review
See how long people with this situation waited, from their transcripts.
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What it means.
The IRS manual's wording:
Refund delayed, pulled for review, within 7 cycles
What to do.
The return was pulled for review recently. Watch for a letter and answer it quickly.
Codes in the same group.
- Reference code 1121Problem identified
- Reference code 1181Refund delayed
- Reference code 1241Paper return received more than 6 weeks ago
- Reference code 1242Electronic return received more than 3 weeks ago
- Reference code 1261Paper return received more than 6 weeks ago
- Reference code 1262Electronic return received more than 3 weeks ago
Questions people ask
What does reference code 1221 mean?
The return is under review and the refund waits. The IRS manual's own wording is quoted on this page.
What should I do about code 1221?
The return was pulled for review recently. Watch for a letter and answer it quickly.
Sources
Checked against these sources on October 30, 2026.