Can't Access My IRS Transcripts This Year - Where Do I Go?

The IRS completely overhauled their transcript access system this year and it's a NIGHTMARE. You need to go to https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript and select 'Get Transcript Online'. Make sure you're using their new ID.me verification OR their Direct Authentication system. The old login credentials won't work anymore. If you get stuck in a redirect loop, try clearing your cache or using incognito mode. Their UX is terrible and many people are having the same issue accessing transcripts since the January system migration.

This new system is driving everyone crazy! 😂 But seriously, once you DO get in, the transcript can be really confusing to read. I was staring at mine for hours trying to figure out what all those codes meant for my amended return. I finally used https://taxr.ai which explained everything in plain English. Saved me hours of googling random IRS codes and trying to figure out what was happening with my amendment. The system will tell you exactly what stage your amended return is at and if there are any holds.

I had the exact same problem on April 2nd when I tried to check my transcripts! The trick is you have to create a completely new account with ID.me even if you had one before. Also, make sure you're not trying to access 2024 transcripts yet - those won't be available until you file next year. For amended returns, you need to look at your "Account Transcript" for the tax year you amended, not the "Return Transcript." The Account Transcript will show code 971 when they receive your amendment and code 290 when it's processed.

I went through this exact headache last month. Tried for THREE DAYS to get through to someone at the IRS to help me with transcript access. Finally used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) to get past the hold times. Got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes who walked me through the entire process and even checked the status of my amended return while I was on the phone. I've had to call the IRS several times over the years and remember waiting for hours or getting disconnected. This was much less painful.

Here's a complete step-by-step for accessing transcripts in 2024: 1. Go to irs.gov/transcripts (direct link) 2. Select "Get Transcript Online" 3. Choose either ID.me OR Direct Auth (new option) 4. For ID.me: Complete full verification w/ photo ID 5. For Direct Auth: Need financial acct #s for verification 6. Once in, select "Account Transcript" for amended returns 7. Choose correct tax yr (prob 2023) For amended returns, look for TC 971 (received) and TC 290 (processed). Amended returns take ~20 wks to process rn. Hope this helps!

Why is it that the IRS makes everything so complicated? I had an amended return last year and checking transcripts was critical. I ended up setting calendar reminders to check every Tuesday and Friday since those seem to be the days they update the system. Have you tried accessing from a desktop rather than mobile? The mobile site was completely broken for me but desktop worked. Also, if you're checking for an amended return from 2023, remember they're still processing those from as far back as September 2023. The backlog is insane right now.

I was hesitant to share this, but after struggling with transcript access for weeks, I finally got in by doing a complete browser reset. I think my saved cookies were causing conflicts with their new system. Once I could see my transcript, I noticed my amended return had been received but was sitting in processing. I called the IRS and they told me there was a simple error they needed to fix. Within 2 weeks after that call, my amended return was processed and I received my additional refund. Sometimes you just need to get a human on the phone.

Have you tried accessing your transcript through the IRS2Go app instead of the website? Sometimes that works when the website is giving problems. Also, what's the reason you need to see your transcript? If you're just checking refund status for a regular return, the Where's My Refund tool might be easier. But if you filed an amended return, you'd need to use the Where's My Amended Return tool instead. Transcripts are most useful when you need to see specific codes or if you're trying to figure out why there's a delay.