Tax Tips How to Get a Copy of Your Tax Return or Transcript Read the Article Open Share Drawer Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Written by TurboTax Blog Team Published Jun 1, 2011 - [Updated Jan 22, 2021] 2 min read You’ve probably heard you should save your tax returns and supporting records for at least three (preferably seven) years after the filing deadline. Of course, you’re also supposed to eat more bran, drink less soda, and drive your car slower. Sometimes good intentions don’t quite play out. Say you suddenly find yourself in need of one of your old tax returns. Such a circumstance might come about when applying for a loan, be it a home mortgage, refinancing, or for college funding. If you’re unable to find your tax return among the piles of old photo albums and dated baseball cards in your closet, the IRS can help. Here’s how: Request Your Tax Return Surprising as this might be, to receive a copy of an old tax return from the IRS, you must fill out a form. In this case, the paperwork is Form 4506, aptly named “Request for a Tax Return.” While the form is straightforward, it is not without cost—each tax return you would like to receive will set you back $57. (Why $57 and not $50 or $60 remains an uninvestigated mystery). You can request any tax return up to six years old. (No, you can’t request someone else’s tax return.) Once your check clears, expect your return(s) to arrive in about 2 months. Note that if you are impacted by a federal disaster area, you probably won’t have to pay any fees. Only Need the Highlights? Get a Transcript Sometimes, the requesting your entire return is unnecessary. Given the cost, first check to see if a tax return transcript will satisfy your needs. If so, request a transcript, available at no cost. To get your tax return transcript, simply dial 800-908-9946 or visit www.irs.gov. Then, click Online Services and choose “Order a Transcript.” A transcript provides all the most important line items for your return and is often sufficient for your lender’s documentation requirements. Unlike a full tax return, transcripts are available for the previous three years only. To request your transcript, complete 4506-EZ, the short form for requesting an Individual Tax Return Transcript. This relatively new form is streamlined, especially for those who are going through a mortgage application, refinancing, or modification. As such, you can request your transcript be mailed directly to a third party such as your lender. You can get all forms at the IRS web site (www.irs.gov) or by calling 800-829-3676. Previous Post Avoid the Post Office Lines This Year: e-File! Next Post Where are the Least Taxing Places to Live? Written by Adam Middleton More from Adam Middleton 38 responses to “How to Get a Copy of Your Tax Return or Transcript” My son needs tax return information, urgently, for medical purposes. He filed through turbo tax last year. Is there any way you can help us, please? Reply I didn’t work for the last 5 years, I want to know if the IRS can give me a paper saying I didn’t file taxes because I didn’t work…. Reply Question, if I fill out a 4506 to get copy of past years tax returns will they also send me copies if there was an ammendment done any of those years or do i need another form? Reply whoah this bloog iis magnificent i love reading your articles. Stay up the good work! You understand, many peopke are searching round for this info, yoou could aid thm greatly. Reply Whats up very cool web site!! Man .. Beautiful .. Amazing .. I will bookmark your site and take the feeds also? I’m glad to seek out a lot of useful information here in the put up, we need work out extra techniques on this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . . Reply Wow, that’s what I was looking for, what a material! present here at this weblog, thanks admin of this site. Reply Can I go into the IRS office and get a copy of my 2012 and 2013 Tax Retuns? I need these asap Reply I desperately need my 2008 tax transcripts Reply Hi Lisa Can I get my tax return transcript 2011 even if I didn’t file my 2011 taxes? Reply Hi Lisa Can I get my tax return transcript 2011 even if I didn’t file my 2011 taxes? Reply I NEED A COPY OF MY TAX RETURN FOR 2011 THANK YOU. Reply I want a copy of my tax return for 2011. Thank you Reply I need a copy of my tax return for 2011. Reply What if I found descrepancy between original tax filing document and Tax return transcript even though there was no adjustments? I am applying mortgage and the lender found when they received the transcript from the 3rd party order. Should I contact IRS? Reply I need tax return information for the years of 1990, 1991 and 2001. IRS and Soc. Security say they can not help me. One place of employment lost records in a flood. And another one would not look for any records since she was a new director and they were in the basement. HELP please! Reply how can i get a copy of my 2011 tax returns. I no longer have access to my prio email address. I followed the instructions under my account and still no luck. Reply i need a copy of 2011 tax returns Reply Hi James, Please use these instructions to access your 2011 tax return: http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/iq/Copy-of-Return/Access-2011-or-Earlier-Tax-Returns/GEN12469.html Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply Lisa, This doesn’t work.. I have used TurboTax for 4 years and can’t get in my account. I have been trying for 2 weeks. Support said there was a tech issue. I received an email that it was resolved but still no luck. How can I access my most recent tax return for 2011, I’m finding directions on how to find earlier returns but it seems like when I try to get my most recent return (2011’s) it just redirects me around to getting 2010 and earlier returns. I just want to access my most recent tax return forms,all I need it for is to prove that I didn’t claim my child this year. Reply Hi Mary, You can access your 2011 tax return by clicking on the “My Account” link at the top of TurboTax.com and logging into your account. Thanks, Ashley Reply I filed etaxes in Aoril and I was under the imoression that I paid a fee to be able to access them again . Can I access them and print them out? Reply Hi Lani, You can access your tax return with your user name and password if you filed with TurboTax Basic, Deluxe, Premier, Home and Business, or Business. If you used Free you can access your saved PDF file. Please see our support FAQ to access your tax return http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/iq/Copy-of-Return/Access-2010-or-Earlier-Tax-Returns/GEN12469.html The instructions say 2010, but they will still work. Thank you, Lisa Lewis http://blog-turbotax-intuit-com-develop.go-vip.co Reply Where can I get my 2011 tax return copy? Reply Hi Marla, Please follow these instructions to access your tax return http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/iq/Copy-of-Return/Access-2010-or-Earlier-Tax-Returns/GEN12469.html Thank you, Lisa Reply Hi Lisa, whenever I request online or on the phone for my 2011 tax return transcript, it always says unavailable or something along those lines. I filed sometime a couple months ago. Is there a waiting period before you can request a transcript? Reply Hi Megan, Yes that could be. I would call the IRS 1.800.829.1040 Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply I need a copy or transcript from 2001-2004. How can I get one? Reply Hi Adam, You have to get them from the IRS. Please see this FAQ: http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/iq/Copy-of-Return/Access-2010-or-Earlier-Tax-Returns/GEN12469.html Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply I need a tax return transcript for 2007. The IRS informs me I can only go back 3 years. I used TurboTax, didn’t print it, and my computer I had then crashed. Any thoughts? I need something quicker than 2 months! Reply I need ‘return Transcript’ 4506T-EZ 2011. don’t know how to find it. Maddie B Reply Hi Maddie, You can get a copy of your tax return from the IRS. Please follow the instructions in this FAQ http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/iq/Copy-of-Return/Access-2010-or-Earlier-Tax-Returns/GEN12469.html Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply I need a copy of tax returns form 1995. I did them with turbo tax. IRS says they have no record. HELP Reply i dont wanna do ma taxes al i need if all i need is copy of 2009 for h&r block. Reply Hi, Please follow these instructions: http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/iq/Copy-of-Return/Access-2010-or-Earlier-Tax-Returns/GEN12469.html Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply I need a copy of my 2009 and 2010 Tax return Reply I need a copy of my 2008 on line filled tax papers. This was filled through Turbo tax. I have tried to get on your website to print out a copy, but can not find the paperwork. How do I get a copy. I need to mail the irs a copy no later than 9/20. Please help and advise. Reply I need a copy of my 2008 on line filled tax papers. This was filled through Turbo tax. I have tried to get on your website to print out a copy, but can not find the paperwork. How do I get a copy. I need to mail the irs a copy no later than 9/20. Please help and advise. 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My son needs tax return information, urgently, for medical purposes. He filed through turbo tax last year. Is there any way you can help us, please? Reply
I didn’t work for the last 5 years, I want to know if the IRS can give me a paper saying I didn’t file taxes because I didn’t work…. Reply
Question, if I fill out a 4506 to get copy of past years tax returns will they also send me copies if there was an ammendment done any of those years or do i need another form? Reply
whoah this bloog iis magnificent i love reading your articles. Stay up the good work! You understand, many peopke are searching round for this info, yoou could aid thm greatly. Reply
Whats up very cool web site!! Man .. Beautiful .. Amazing .. I will bookmark your site and take the feeds also? I’m glad to seek out a lot of useful information here in the put up, we need work out extra techniques on this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . . Reply
Wow, that’s what I was looking for, what a material! present here at this weblog, thanks admin of this site. Reply
What if I found descrepancy between original tax filing document and Tax return transcript even though there was no adjustments? I am applying mortgage and the lender found when they received the transcript from the 3rd party order. Should I contact IRS? Reply
I need tax return information for the years of 1990, 1991 and 2001. IRS and Soc. Security say they can not help me. One place of employment lost records in a flood. And another one would not look for any records since she was a new director and they were in the basement. HELP please! Reply
how can i get a copy of my 2011 tax returns. I no longer have access to my prio email address. I followed the instructions under my account and still no luck. Reply
Hi James, Please use these instructions to access your 2011 tax return: http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/iq/Copy-of-Return/Access-2011-or-Earlier-Tax-Returns/GEN12469.html Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
Lisa, This doesn’t work.. I have used TurboTax for 4 years and can’t get in my account. I have been trying for 2 weeks. Support said there was a tech issue. I received an email that it was resolved but still no luck.
How can I access my most recent tax return for 2011, I’m finding directions on how to find earlier returns but it seems like when I try to get my most recent return (2011’s) it just redirects me around to getting 2010 and earlier returns. I just want to access my most recent tax return forms,all I need it for is to prove that I didn’t claim my child this year. Reply
Hi Mary, You can access your 2011 tax return by clicking on the “My Account” link at the top of TurboTax.com and logging into your account. Thanks, Ashley Reply
I filed etaxes in Aoril and I was under the imoression that I paid a fee to be able to access them again . Can I access them and print them out? Reply
Hi Lani, You can access your tax return with your user name and password if you filed with TurboTax Basic, Deluxe, Premier, Home and Business, or Business. If you used Free you can access your saved PDF file. Please see our support FAQ to access your tax return http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/iq/Copy-of-Return/Access-2010-or-Earlier-Tax-Returns/GEN12469.html The instructions say 2010, but they will still work. Thank you, Lisa Lewis http://blog-turbotax-intuit-com-develop.go-vip.co Reply
Hi Marla, Please follow these instructions to access your tax return http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/iq/Copy-of-Return/Access-2010-or-Earlier-Tax-Returns/GEN12469.html Thank you, Lisa Reply
Hi Lisa, whenever I request online or on the phone for my 2011 tax return transcript, it always says unavailable or something along those lines. I filed sometime a couple months ago. Is there a waiting period before you can request a transcript? Reply
Hi Adam, You have to get them from the IRS. Please see this FAQ: http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/iq/Copy-of-Return/Access-2010-or-Earlier-Tax-Returns/GEN12469.html Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
I need a tax return transcript for 2007. The IRS informs me I can only go back 3 years. I used TurboTax, didn’t print it, and my computer I had then crashed. Any thoughts? I need something quicker than 2 months! Reply
Hi Maddie, You can get a copy of your tax return from the IRS. Please follow the instructions in this FAQ http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/iq/Copy-of-Return/Access-2010-or-Earlier-Tax-Returns/GEN12469.html Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
I need a copy of tax returns form 1995. I did them with turbo tax. IRS says they have no record. HELP Reply
Hi, Please follow these instructions: http://turbotax.intuit.com/support/iq/Copy-of-Return/Access-2010-or-Earlier-Tax-Returns/GEN12469.html Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
I need a copy of my 2008 on line filled tax papers. This was filled through Turbo tax. I have tried to get on your website to print out a copy, but can not find the paperwork. How do I get a copy. I need to mail the irs a copy no later than 9/20. Please help and advise. Reply
I need a copy of my 2008 on line filled tax papers. This was filled through Turbo tax. I have tried to get on your website to print out a copy, but can not find the paperwork. How do I get a copy. I need to mail the irs a copy no later than 9/20. Please help and advise.