Get Copy of Tax Return
Get a copy of your tax return to provide information to a financial institution that requested it or just to look at what went into your previous returns.
The most common reason why taxpayers get a copy of their tax return is to provide it as a sort of financial statement to financial institutions such as mortgage lenders to prove their income. Although a copy of the tax return is preferred, a tax transcript is mostly enough to prove how much you earned, the number of dependents, etc.
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Request Copy of Tax Return – Form 4506
Taxpayers can fill out Form 4506 and mail it to the Internal Revenue Service to request a copy of their tax returns. You can also use Form 4506 to request different copies of tax returns such as Forms 1120, 941, 1040-SR, etc.
A copy of the tax return for each tax year costs $50. You can get a copy of the tax return for the current tax year and as far back as six years. This is something good to keep in mind. If you need a copy of a tax return older than six years, we suggest contacting the IRS as they might be able to take care of your needs, but under normal circumstances, it’s not possible to get a copy of a tax return that’s older than six years.
Those who file Form 4506 to request a copy of a tax return that are joint filers are also required to enter the name and taxpayer identification number of the spouse.
After Form 4506 is complete, mail it to the following address according to the state you filed your tax return and lived in.
| State | Mailing Address |
|---|---|
| Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin | Internal Revenue Service RAIVS Team Stop 6705 S2 Kansas City, MO 64999 |
| Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming | Internal Revenue Service RAIVS Team Post Office Box 9941 Mail Stop 6734 Ogden, UT 84409 |
| Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, a foreign country, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or A.P.O. or F.P.O address | Internal Revenue Service RAIVS Team Stop 6716 AUSC Austin, TX 73301 |
Get Tax Transcripts Online or by Mail
In some cases, a tax transcript is going to be enough to get the necessary information. You can think of a tax transcript the same way as a copy of a tax return but limited in terms of certain elements.
While a copy of a tax return will provide you everything such as the attachments (Forms W-2, 1099, other information returns, Schedule A, Schedule 1, etc.) that was filed with it, a tax transcript won’t show these. It will show your adjusted gross income though, which is enough for financial institutions that want to be sure about your total income.
The same as requesting a copy of a tax return from the Internal Revenue Service, you can request a tax transcript. This time, however, you can request online using the IRS Get Transcript online tool. But, you still have the option to file a tax form – Form 4506-T — and mail it to the IRS. It’s just more convenient to request a tax transcript online as it won’t cost you anything and you will view all the available tax transcripts.
IRS Get Transcript – Request Free Tax Transcripts
Head over to IRS Get Transcript to view your available tax transcripts online. You can view all types of tax returns that are available online. Generally, most tax transcripts as far bask as the early 2000s exist on the Get Transcript tool.
You can enter your Social Security number, date of birth, and numbers in your mailing address to verify your identity. Once you’re in the system, you will see the tax transcripts. If a tax transcript isn’t shown on the Get Transcript tool, it means that you haven’t filed it for that year or the IRS is yet to process your return.
Once a tax transcript is selected, you can download it as a PDF to get a paper copy. This will enable you to take the paper copies to the places you need to provide your tax information.
If you’re unable to get a tax transcript using the Get Transcript tool, give the IRS a call to order your tax transcripts and get them mailed to your door.
IRS Get Transcript phone number: 1-800-908-9946
