The short answer
IRS TREAS 310 is a deposit from the IRS — TAX REF means a tax refund. 310 is the Treasury's ACH transaction code; this is money arriving, not leaving.
Why it shows up like this
Federal payments post through the Treasury's automated clearing house with agency + 310 + purpose code. TAX REF is a refund; historic codes like TAXEIP covered stimulus payments. If the amount differs from your expected refund, the IRS adjusted it — a notice letter follows by mail.
Don’t recognize it? You might still
- The refund amount was adjusted for offsets (past-due taxes, child support, student loans).
- A jointly-filed refund landed in one spouse's account.
- Interest on a delayed refund arrives as a separate small deposit.
What to do, in order
- Confirm it's a credit, not a charge 310 entries are deposits. If money left your account with an IRS label, contact your bank — that pattern is a scam or error.
- Match against your filed return The IRS 'Where's My Refund' tool shows the refund issued and explains adjustments.
- Watch for the adjustment letter When the amount differs from your return, the IRS mails an explanation within a few weeks.
Quick questions
The deposit is smaller than my expected refund. Why?
Offsets (owed federal/state debts) or IRS corrections. The mailed notice itemizes the change; the online refund tool shows status.
I wasn't expecting any IRS money. Is this safe to spend?
Careful — erroneous refunds must be returned, and scammers use fake refunds in overpayment schemes. Verify through your IRS online account before touching it.
Independent reference — not affiliated with US Department of the Treasury. Billing names and policies change; verify with the merchant or your bank before acting.
Reviewed Aug 3, 2026 · high · About ChargeDecoder