Every time you file your taxes, it’s a good
idea to keep a copy of your return. However, if you’ve failed to do that and
now need access to your tax information, don’t worry. The IRS keeps transcripts
of all of the taxes you’ve filed in your life, and you can easily access them
if needed.
Types
of Transcripts
The IRS is very thorough in the information
that it keeps, which means that you can actually choose from different types of
transcripts.
Most people will simply want a tax return
transcript which shows the basic information from your original return. You can
also request a tax account transcript, which is even more detailed, or a record
of account transcript that combines information from both types. You can even
get a wage and income transcript or a non-filing transcript to verify you
didn’t have to file in a given year.
How
to Access Your Transcripts
No matter what type of transcript you
require, the easiest way to access it is online. You simply create a verified
account with the IRS using your social security number, cell phone number,
birthday, an approved account number, your most recent filing status, and your
email address. From there, you can see all of your tax information with a few
simple clicks.
If you are missing any of the required
verifiers, then you can simply have the tax transcript of your choice mailed to
you. Obviously, this option takes a bit longer, but it’s still an easy, free
way to access your information.
Save
the Information
Once you have a copy of your transcripts,
no matter how you accessed it, save it. That way, you won’t have to go through
all these steps again should you need the information later.
Transcripts accessed online can easily be
printed out, while mailed transcripts are complete in themselves.
And, while most of the sensitive data,
like your full social security number, is blocked out for safety purposes, it’s
still smart to keep these documents in a safe, secure place.
As you can see, accessing your tax
information is very easy. It’s what you do with it that matters most!