How do I know if my taxes were "approved" if I'm not receiving a refund?

[Mblair]

How do I know if my taxes were "approved" if I'm not receiving a refund?

I can login to the IRS website and see my 2019 tax transcripts. Does this mean they are approved now?

Thank you

[rjs]

The IRS can question your tax return for three years from the due date or the date that you filed it, whichever is later. Even if you got a refund and they paid the refund, they can still question it later. So there's no final approval until the three year period has ended.

[Critter-3]

Ok ... some terms need to be explained ... you file a return and it is either Rejected or Accepted for processing.  No return is Approved  but if you have a refund the refund is approved for dispersal.  Both returns with refunds and balance dues  can be reviewed and/or audited usually within a 3 year period but sometimes they can review/audit further back.   So all you can check on with a return with a balance due is the Acceptance when you efile ... you can log in to see if the return was accepted  and/or check your email confirmations of filing and then acceptance.