Can you view tax returns from before 2020 on irs.gov website? Need to see older filings!

Hi everyone, I'm kinda freaking out and hoping someone can help me figure this out. I'm only able to see my tax returns from 2020 and 2021 when I log into my IRS account online. I'm trying to determine if this is normal or if something's wrong. Here's my situation: I recently divorced my husband who handled all our tax filings during our marriage. Every year I'd give him my W2 and trust him to file jointly for us. Now that we're separated, I filed my 2023 taxes on my own but hit a roadblock when I couldn't locate my previous year's AGI to e-file. When I reached out to my ex about our 2022 taxes, he took forever to respond and eventually claimed he "can't remember" if he filed or not. I have text messages showing he was supposedly working on our taxes last year, but now I'm worried he might not have filed. The concerning part is I only see 2020 and 2021 returns in my IRS account. We used an accountant for several years before 2016, and I don't see those returns either. I'm starting to wonder if he actually filed our taxes all those years or if he's been lying to me. I'm planning to file 2022 myself and accept whatever penalties come with it, but I'm stressing about whether older returns should be visible on the IRS website. Can anyone tell me if they can see their pre-2020 tax returns on irs.gov? I won't be able to call the IRS until Friday due to work, and I really need some peace of mind in the meantime. Thanks for any help you can offer!

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18 comments

Amara Okafor

•8M

The IRS online account system typically only shows the most recent 3-4 years of tax returns, so seeing just 2020 and 2021 is actually normal and not cause for immediate panic. The IRS redesigned their online portal around 2020, and most people can only access returns filed after that change. If you need to verify that returns were filed for previous years, you have a few options. You can request a "Wage and Income Transcript" which shows all reported income (like W2s and 1099s) for a specific year, or an "Account Transcript" which shows filing dates, payments, and other account activity. These transcripts are available for up to 10 years and can tell you whether returns were actually filed. For your 2022 return, you can file without the previous year's AGI by requesting a PIN from the IRS or selecting the option that you didn't file last year. Don't just "eat the penalties" without exploring these options first.

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Amara Okafor

•8M

There are a few alternatives if you can't verify your identity online. You can submit Form 4506-T by mail to request transcripts, which will be delivered to your address of record within about 10 business days. For identity verification issues, sometimes using a different browser or clearing your cache can help. If that doesn't work, you might want to create an ID.me account which is now the identity verification service the IRS uses. Many people have better success after getting verified through them first.

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Yuki Tanaka

•8M

After dealing with a nightmare tax situation last year, I discovered taxr.ai which literally saved me when trying to sort through years of missing returns. I was in a similar position where my ex handled everything and I had no idea what was actually filed. I uploaded what documents I had to https://taxr.ai and they analyzed everything to help me figure out what was missing and what had been filed. Helped me identify several years where returns weren't properly submitted even though my ex swore he did them. The tool showed me exactly which years had reporting gaps based on my W2 history.

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Yuki Tanaka

•8M

You upload whatever tax documents you have - W2s, 1099s, previous returns if you have them - and it creates a timeline showing what years have documentation and what's missing. It helps identify gaps and inconsistencies in your tax history. The system doesn't claim to know what the IRS has better than the IRS. Instead, it analyzes the documents you do have and helps you understand what should have been filed based on your income documentation. This helped me realize my ex hadn't filed for two years despite claiming he had, because I had W2s from those years but no corresponding tax returns.

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Esmeralda Gómez

•8M

I was super anxious about my missing tax returns after my divorce last year and tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here. It actually helped me discover my ex hadn't filed our 2017 and 2018 returns despite telling me he had! I uploaded my W2s and the few returns I could find, and the system showed me exactly which years had reporting gaps. Used that info when I called the IRS and they confirmed those returns were never filed. Saved me so much stress trying to piece everything together on my own.

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Aisha Patel

•8M

If you're struggling to get through to the IRS about your past returns, I highly recommend using Claimyr. I was in the same boat last month - couldn't see returns before 2020 online and needed to verify if my ex actually filed joint returns for previous years. Spent DAYS trying to get through the IRS phone system with no luck. Then I tried https://claimyr.com and they got me connected to an actual IRS agent within 20 minutes instead of the usual hours-long wait. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent pulled up my records going back 7 years and confirmed which returns were actually filed and which weren't. Turns out my ex skipped filing one year completely!

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Aisha Patel

•8M

They don't call the IRS for you. Their system navigates the IRS phone tree and waits in the queue for you, then calls you once they have an agent on the line. You still speak directly with the IRS agent yourself - they just handle the waiting part. The system basically monitors the hold music and menu options, making the right selections until it reaches a human. Then it conferences you in so you can verify your identity and discuss your tax situation directly with the agent. It's completely secure since you're the only one who speaks with the IRS.

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Dmitri Volkov

•8M

I take back what I said about Claimyr. I was SUPER skeptical but after waiting on hold with the IRS for 2.5 hours yesterday and getting disconnected, I decided to try it out of desperation. To my complete surprise, I was talking to an actual IRS agent within 15 minutes. Got confirmation about my missing 2018 and 2019 returns and found out my ex never filed them despite telling me he did. Now I at least know what I'm dealing with instead of guessing. Honestly shocked this actually worked after years of IRS phone hell.

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Gabrielle Dubois

•8M

OK I'm going to say what you probably don't want to hear, but based on my experience working at a tax firm: If your ex was responsible for filing taxes and now you're finding gaps, you should consider requesting a full tax account transcript from the IRS (Form 4506-T) ASAP. I've seen this situation a lot with divorced couples where one spouse handled finances and the other discovers years later that returns weren't filed or were filed incorrectly. You need to know EXACTLY what's in the IRS system under your SSN, including any potential liens or balances due. Don't panic yet, but be prepared that there might be issues to clean up. The fact that he's being evasive is unfortunately a red flag.

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Gabrielle Dubois

•8M

Unfortunately, when you sign a joint return, you're equally responsible for the accuracy of everything on it - it's called "joint and several liability." If returns weren't filed or were filed with errors, you're generally both on the hook for any resulting penalties or taxes. There is relief available though. The IRS offers "Innocent Spouse Relief" specifically for situations where one spouse wasn't aware of issues on a joint return. There's also "Separation of Liability Relief" and "Equitable Relief" depending on your circumstances. You'll need to file Form 8857 to request this relief once you know exactly what you're dealing with.

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