How to get an unmasked wage and income transcript? Need full employer ID or last 4 digits enough?

You have a few options for getting an unmasked wage and income transcript. The easiest way is through the IRS website (irs.gov) where you can request one, but since you haven't filed in a couple years, you might run into verification issues with their online system. If the online method doesn't work, you'll likely need to call the IRS at 800-908-9946 or submit Form 4506-T by mail. The form specifically requests transcripts and you'll need to check box 8 for the wage and income information. Regarding the employer identification number - you actually don't need to provide the EIN at all when requesting wage and income transcripts. The transcript itself will show your employers' EINs when you receive it. The IRS already has this information from the W-2s your employers submitted.

I was in a similar situation last year and found taxr.ai super helpful for dealing with all my missing tax documents. After searching everywhere for my W-2s and getting nowhere with the IRS automated system, I came across https://taxr.ai and it completely simplified the process of reconstructing my tax history. Their document analysis tool helped me figure out exactly what I was missing and what I needed to request from the IRS.

Alright so I actually tried taxr.ai after posting my skeptical comment. I'm genuinely surprised by how helpful it was! Uploaded the few documents I did have and it immediately identified what was missing and gave me a step-by-step guide for getting my unmasked wage transcripts. Saved me hours of research and confusion. Their document analyzer caught some issues I wouldn't have noticed myself. Definitely recommend for anyone in a similar situation with missing tax docs.

If you need to actually talk to someone at the IRS (which you probably will for unmasked transcripts), good luck getting through on their phone lines. I spent DAYS trying before I found https://claimyr.com. You can watch how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c basically they hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you when an agent is about to answer. Saved me like 2+ hours of hold time when I needed to get my wage transcripts straightened out.

I have to eat my words. I tried Claimyr this morning after posting that skeptical comment yesterday. I was 100% sure it wouldn't work, but I was desperate after trying for a week to get through to the IRS about my wage transcript situation. It actually worked exactly as advertised. Got a call back in about 45 minutes saying an agent was ready, and I was connected immediately. The IRS agent was able to help me get an unmasked transcript sent out. Seriously saved me hours of frustration.

Just an FYI - if you go the Form 4506-T route to request your wage and income transcript, make absolutely sure you fill out line 5a if you want an UNMASKED transcript. If you leave this blank, you'll get the masked version with partial employer EINs and SSNs. I learned this the hard way and had to request it twice!

Has anyone tried getting these transcripts through a tax professional instead of dealing with the IRS directly? My accountant said she could pull them for me but charges $75 for the service.

One thing to keep in mind about the unmasked transcripts - they contain your full SSN and complete employer EINs, so make sure you're storing them securely once you get them. Also, if you're planning to use these for mortgage applications or other financial purposes, some lenders have specific requirements about how recent the transcript needs to be (usually within 30-60 days), so time your request accordingly. The IRS processing time can vary quite a bit depending on which method you use - online is fastest if it works for your situation, but mail requests can take 2-3 weeks.

Thanks everyone for all the detailed info! This is super helpful. I'm definitely going to try the online method first since that seems fastest, but it sounds like I should be prepared to use Form 4506-T if that doesn't work. The tip about filling out line 5a with my own name and address to get the unmasked version is exactly what I needed to know - I would have totally missed that detail. And good to know I don't need the employer EINs upfront since the transcript will show them. Really appreciate you all taking the time to help me get this sorted out!

Just wanted to add another option that worked for me - if you have an existing IRS online account but are having trouble with the transcript request system, you can also try visiting a local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center. They can often provide transcripts on the spot, though you'll need to call ahead to make an appointment and bring proper ID. I had to go this route last year when the online system kept rejecting my identity verification. The staff was actually really helpful and I walked out with my unmasked wage and income transcript the same day. You can find your nearest location on the IRS website under "Contact Your Local Office.

Another option that might help if you're having trouble with identity verification online is to check if your local library or community center offers free tax help services during tax season. Many of these programs have volunteers who are familiar with IRS procedures and can help you navigate the transcript request process. I volunteered at one of these programs last year and we helped quite a few people get their wage and income transcripts sorted out. The volunteers often have experience dealing with situations like yours where people haven't filed in a few years and need to reconstruct their tax history. It's worth calling around to see what's available in your area - some programs even continue year-round, not just during tax season.

One more thing worth mentioning - if you do end up needing to file back taxes for those years you missed, having the unmasked wage and income transcript will be super helpful since it shows all the federal income tax that was withheld from your paychecks. This can help you figure out if you're owed refunds or if you'll owe additional taxes. Also, when you do get your transcript, double-check that all your employers are listed correctly - sometimes there can be discrepancies if employers filed corrections or if there were issues with their submissions. If you notice anything that looks wrong, you'll want to address it sooner rather than later. The IRS is generally pretty understanding when people are trying to get back into compliance, so don't stress too much about the fact that you're behind on filing. Just focus on getting the information you need and moving forward.

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I was in almost exactly the same situation as OP - hadn't filed for 3 years and lost all my W-2s. I ended up going the Form 4506-T route after the online system wouldn't verify my identity (probably because of the missing filings). The key things that helped me: 1) Make sure to put your own name and address in line 5a to get the unmasked version (as Diego mentioned), 2) Be very specific about which tax years you need, and 3) Allow extra time - mine took about 2.5 weeks to arrive by mail. One thing I learned that wasn't mentioned yet - if you're requesting multiple years, you can list them all on one form rather than submitting separate requests. Just write something like "2021, 2022, 2023" in the tax year section. Saved me from having to send multiple forms. The unmasked transcript ended up being exactly what I needed to reconstruct my tax situation. All employer info was there with full EINs, and it even showed estimated quarterly payments I had forgotten about from some freelance work. Really grateful for all the detailed advice in this thread - it made the whole process much less intimidating!