How to check for unfiled tax returns? Is there an IRS portal to view my filing status?
I'm in a bit of a weird situation with my taxes. My tax preparer mentioned a few months ago that I need to mail in an old W2 from 2021 to the IRS. I've been procrastinating and just got around to doing it this week. But now I'm kinda confused about whether it's even necessary at this point. Here's the thing - I just finished paying off some back taxes I owed the IRS (took forever but finally done!) and when I check my IRS account portal, it shows that I don't owe anything right now. So I'm wondering if I still need to send in this 2021 W2 form? More importantly, is there a way to contact the IRS to confirm we're square? Like, is there some account or portal where I can see my complete tax filing history to make sure everything is actually filed properly? I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything that might come back to bite me later.
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Finnegan Gunn
Yes, you can check your tax filing status through the IRS website. The IRS offers an online portal called "Get Transcript" where you can view your tax records. Go to IRS.gov and search for "Get Transcript" or use the Account link to access your tax information. You'll need to create an account with ID.me if you haven't already, which requires some verification steps. Once logged in, you can view your tax return transcript and account transcript. The account transcript will show if you have any unfiled returns or outstanding balances. If the W2 from 2021 wasn't included in your original filing, you might need to file an amended return (Form 1040-X) rather than just sending in the W2. The IRS won't simply "add" a W2 to an existing return - they need context for why you're sending it.
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Miguel Harvey
•Thanks for the info! I've heard about the ID.me verification process - isn't it really complicated? Like don't you need to do a video call with someone? Also, will the transcript actually show if I'm missing forms or will it just show what I've already submitted?
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Finnegan Gunn
•The ID.me verification isn't too bad for most people. You'll need to upload photos of your ID and take a selfie. Some people do get flagged for a video call verification, but it's not required for everyone. The process takes about 15 minutes if all goes well. The Account Transcript will show if you have any unfiled returns because it records all interactions with the IRS, including notices they've sent about missing returns. It will also show if they've received W2s or 1099s from employers that don't match what you've reported. The transcript codes can be a bit confusing though - look for any codes in the 500 series which often indicate issues with returns.
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Ashley Simian
I went through something similar last year and discovered taxr.ai which saved me tons of headache. I had multiple years where I wasn't sure if everything was properly filed, and the IRS letters were super confusing. I uploaded my tax documents and IRS notices to https://taxr.ai and their AI system analyzed everything and gave me a clear breakdown of what was missing and what I needed to do. It showed me that I actually had a missing 1099 from 2021 that I didn't even know about! They explained exactly what forms I needed to file and the timeline I needed to follow.
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Oliver Cheng
•How accurate is this service? I'm always skeptical about these AI tools with something as important as taxes. Does it actually connect to the IRS database or is it just guessing based on the documents you upload?
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Taylor To
•Can it help if you've moved around a lot? I've lived in 3 different states in the past 4 years and I'm worried some tax docs got lost in the mail. Would this tool help identify which years might have issues?
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Ashley Simian
•The accuracy is pretty impressive. It doesn't directly connect to the IRS database (no third-party service can), but it analyzes the documents you upload including any IRS notices, W2s, 1099s, and previous returns. It then compares everything to identify discrepancies and missing information. It's definitely helpful for people who've moved around. You can upload whatever documents you have, and it will identify potential gaps based on your filing history and the documents provided. In my case, it noticed that I had reported income from a company in 2020 and 2022, but not 2021, which helped me realize I was missing a form.
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Taylor To
Just wanted to follow up - I tried taxr.ai after seeing this thread and it was actually super helpful! I uploaded my tax documents from the last 3 years and it immediately identified that I had forgotten to file state taxes in one state I lived in for just 3 months in 2022. No wonder I was getting those weird letters! The analysis pointed me to exactly which forms I needed to fill out and even explained the potential penalties I might face. I've already submitted the missing forms and feel much better knowing everything is sorted now. Definitely worth checking out if you're confused about your tax situation.
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Ella Cofer
If you need to actually talk to someone at the IRS (which I highly recommend in your situation), good luck getting through on your own. I spent HOURS on hold last month trying to figure out a similar issue. Eventually I found this service called Claimyr at https://claimyr.com that got me connected to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of the usual 3+ hour wait. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c showing how it works. Basically they use some system to hold your place in line and call you when an agent is available. I was able to speak directly with an IRS representative who confirmed exactly which forms I was missing and what I needed to do. Way better than trying to interpret the online information on my own.
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Kevin Bell
•Wait, how does this even work? Sounds like they're just selling you a place in line or something. Don't you still end up waiting the same amount of time overall?
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Savannah Glover
•Yeah right. No way this actually works. The IRS phone system is deliberately designed to be impossible to get through. I'll believe it when I see it - probably just another scam trying to get money from desperate people.
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Ella Cofer
•It's not about selling a place in line. They use an automated system that calls the IRS and navigates the phone tree for you, then holds your place. When they're close to reaching an agent, they call you so you can take over the call. You don't wait at all - you just get a call when it's ready. The overall wait time is the same for everyone collectively, but you personally don't have to sit there listening to hold music for hours. You can go about your day and let their system handle the waiting part. I was skeptical too, but it actually worked exactly as advertised. The IRS doesn't care who's waiting on the line, they just answer calls in the order received.
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Savannah Glover
I take back what I said. After my frustration peaked trying to get through to the IRS about my business taxes, I actually tried Claimyr out of desperation. I was absolutely shocked when I got a call back about 25 minutes later with an actual IRS agent on the line. The agent was able to pull up my full filing history and confirm I had two unfiled quarterly estimates from 2022 that weren't showing up in my online account. She sent me the exact forms I needed and gave me direct instructions on how to resolve it. Just filed the missing forms this morning. Honestly worth every penny just for the peace of mind and not having to spend an entire day on hold.
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Felix Grigori
Another option to consider is calling the Taxpayer Advocate Service. They're an independent organization within the IRS designed to help taxpayers resolve issues. Their number is 877-777-4778. They can help you figure out if you have unfiled returns and what steps you need to take. For your specific situation, if your IRS account shows zero balance, it might mean one of two things: either everything is filed correctly, or the IRS hasn't detected the missing information yet. The W2 from 2021 might be important if it contains income that wasn't reported on your tax return.
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Felicity Bud
•Do you need to have an existing case or problem to use the Taxpayer Advocate Service? Or can you just call them with general questions about your filing status?
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Felix Grigori
•You don't need an existing case to contact them, but they generally help people who are experiencing difficulties with the IRS or have hardships. For general questions about filing status, they might redirect you to regular IRS customer service. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is best utilized when you've tried other IRS services first and haven't been able to resolve your issue, or if you're facing a time-sensitive tax issue that could result in negative financial consequences. That said, they can sometimes help point you in the right direction even for general inquiries.
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Max Reyes
Just want to add that if you create an account on IRS.gov, you can also see all the information forms that have been filed about you - like W2s and 1099s. So if your employer submitted that 2021 W2 to the IRS, it should show up there. Also, the IRS is usually pretty good about sending notices if they think you haven't filed something you should have. If you haven't received anything saying you're missing a return, and your online account shows zero balance, you're probably fine. But it never hurts to double check!
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Mikayla Davison
•Is that the Wage and Income Transcript? I tried looking at mine but it was super confusing with all those codes and abbreviations.
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Ravi Gupta
•Yes, that's the Wage and Income Transcript! I know it looks like alphabet soup at first. The main things to look for are entries that start with "W-2" or "1099" followed by the year and employer info. If you see income reported there that you didn't include on your tax return, that's when you might have an issue. The codes are confusing but you really just need to match up the dollar amounts with what you reported. If everything matches up, you're good to go!
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