Reference code 1081.
IRS full/partial offset
Refund reduced by an offset
See how long people with this situation waited, from their transcripts.
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What it means.
The IRS manual's wording:
IRS full/partial offset, check mailed more than 4 weeks ago
What to do.
The IRS applied all or part of the refund to a federal tax debt; the rest was mailed as a check. A notice explains the offset.
Questions people ask
What does reference code 1081 mean?
Part or all of the refund went to a debt. The IRS manual's own wording is quoted on this page.
What should I do about code 1081?
The IRS applied all or part of the refund to a federal tax debt; the rest was mailed as a check. A notice explains the offset.
Sources
Checked against these sources on October 30, 2026.