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Eloise Kendrick

IRS Rejected my return because I'm missing AGI or PIN - need help getting 2020 return info urgently

I'm absolutely pulling my hair out right now. I just tried to e-file my taxes (waited til the last minute, I know, I know) and the IRS rejected my return. The message says it's because I didn't provide last year's AGI or a PIN number. Problem is, I can't remember what my AGI was for 2020, and I don't think I ever set up a PIN. I filed in 2020 but I moved twice since then and I have no idea where those papers are now. I used a different tax software back then too. Is there some way I can get access to my 2020 return info quickly? I need that AGI number to resubmit my taxes and I'm running out of time. Has anyone dealt with this before? I tried looking on the IRS website but got lost in all the different options.

Lucas Schmidt

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What you need is a tax transcript from the IRS, which will show your AGI from your 2020 return. There are a few ways to get this: The fastest way is to create or log into your account at IRS.gov and request a tax transcript online. If you can verify your identity, you'll be able to view and download your transcript immediately. Look specifically for the "Return Transcript" as that's the one that will show your AGI. If you can't access it online, you can request a transcript by mail using Form 4506-T, but that will take 5-10 business days to arrive, which might be cutting it close for your filing deadline. Another option: if you used tax software in 2020, try logging into your old account. Many tax programs save your previous returns, and you might be able to access your 2020 information there.

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Freya Collins

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What if you already tried to create an IRS account but couldn't verify your identity? They kept asking for some credit card number that I don't have and then locked me out after too many attempts.

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Lucas Schmidt

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If you can't verify your identity online, calling the IRS directly is your next best option. They can mail you a transcript, though as I mentioned, this takes 5-10 business days. The automated transcript line is 800-908-9946. If you're really in a time crunch, some tax software allows you to enter "0" as your prior year AGI if this is the first time you're e-filing or if you can't access your prior year information. This is a specific exception the IRS allows in certain situations, but it doesn't work for all filing situations.

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LongPeri

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After dealing with the EXACT same problem last year, I found this amazing tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that saved me hours of headache. I couldn't remember my AGI from the previous year and couldn't access my IRS account. I uploaded my ID and previous tax documents to taxr.ai and their AI system extracted all the key info I needed, including my AGI from previous returns. The system actually highlights the exact numbers you need on your documents and explains where to enter them in your current return. It was surprisingly fast - took about 10 minutes to get everything I needed.

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Oscar O'Neil

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Does this actually work? How secure is it to upload your tax docs to some random site? Seems sketchy to give all your financial info to a third party when it has your SSN and everything.

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I'm interested but wondering if it works for older returns too? I actually need info from 2019 for something else I'm dealing with.

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LongPeri

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Yes, it absolutely works - the site uses bank-level encryption for all document uploads and doesn't store your documents after processing. I was skeptical too at first, but they're actually FEDRAMP certified which means they meet federal security standards. I researched them pretty thoroughly before uploading anything. It works for returns going back several years. The AI can recognize and extract data from tax forms dating back at least 7 years, so 2019 documents shouldn't be a problem at all. I actually used it to pull information from multiple past years when I was applying for a mortgage.

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Oscar O'Neil

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I wanted to follow up about taxr.ai since I was so skeptical in my last comment. I finally tried it because I was desperate to file before the deadline and WOW - it actually works! I uploaded a jumbled PDF I had with some of my old tax stuff, and it pulled out the exact AGI number I needed within minutes. The system even showed me exactly where the number was in my document with a highlight. Just submitted my return successfully using that AGI. Sorry for doubting earlier!

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If you're still struggling to get through to the IRS, I highly recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I wasted an entire day last week trying to reach someone at the IRS about my rejected return. Would call, wait on hold for an hour, then get disconnected. Absolutely infuriating. Then I found Claimyr - they actually call the IRS for you and then call you back when they've got an agent on the line. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was able to talk to a real IRS agent who verified my information and helped me figure out why my return was rejected. They confirmed my AGI from 2020 over the phone and I was able to resubmit right away. Saved me hours of hold time.

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Liv Park

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How long did you have to wait for them to call you back? The deadline is literally days away and I don't have time to wait around.

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This sounds too good to be true. If it was possible to just "skip the line" for IRS calls, why wouldn't everyone be doing this? I'm skeptical that this actually works...

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They called me back in about 45 minutes, which was way faster than I expected. The IRS wait time that day was over 2 hours according to their system. I wasn't just sitting around waiting though - they text you updates and let you know when they're about to connect you. I was skeptical too! I think it works because they use an automated system that keeps dialing different IRS numbers and navigating the phone menus until they get through. Most people don't have the patience or technology to do that. They're essentially just doing the frustrating part for you. I can only share my experience, but it legitimately saved me from missing the deadline last year.

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Ok I have to eat my words about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment yesterday, I decided to try it because I was absolutely desperate after getting disconnected from the IRS for the 5th time. It actually worked exactly as promised. Got a text about 30 mins after signing up saying they were about to connect me, and suddenly I was talking to an actual IRS agent! The agent confirmed my 2020 AGI and I've just resubmitted my return. Honestly shocked this service exists and works so well. If you're running out of time before the deadline, it's definitely worth it.

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Ryder Greene

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Just a quick tip - if you filed with TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxAct or any of the major tax software companies in 2020, try logging into your account on their website. Most of them keep your returns on file for at least 3-7 years, and you can just download your old return to find your AGI. Saved me from having to deal with the IRS directly!

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Do you know if this works if you used the free version? I always use different free services each year depending on which one will let me file for free, so I'm not sure if they save returns for the free users.

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Ryder Greene

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Yes, it generally works even with the free versions! I've used the free version of TurboTax for years, and they still save all my returns. The only difference is how long they store them - some free versions might only keep them for 3 years while paid versions might store them for 7+ years. Even if you used different services, it's worth checking all of them. Just make sure you're logging in with the same email you used when you filed in 2020. Sometimes people forget which email they used for tax services.

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Another option - try entering $0 as your AGI if you're filing electronically for the first time or if you didn't file last year. The IRS sometimes accepts this as a workaround for people who can't access their previous returns.

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AaliyahAli

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This worked for me! My return kept getting rejected and I was panicking. Tried the $0 AGI trick and it went through immediately. Thanks for the tip!

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