Lost my 2016 1040X form - need it for daughter's FAFSA application

You have a few options to get a copy of your 2016 1040X. The best approach is to request a tax transcript from the IRS, which will show most of the information from your original return and the changes made with your amendment. You can request this online through the IRS website by creating an account at IRS.gov and using the "Get Transcript" tool. Choose the "Tax Return Transcript" option, which includes most of the line items from your original tax return plus any forms and schedules. The 1040X information should be reflected there. If you need the actual 1040X form, you'll need to request a copy by filing Form 4506 and paying a $43 fee. This takes longer though - usually 75 calendar days to process. For FAFSA purposes, the transcript is usually sufficient since financial aid offices mainly need to verify income information, not the actual form itself.

I had a similar issue last year when my son was applying for college. After wasting time with other methods, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which was incredibly helpful for retrieving and analyzing my old tax documents. The service let me pull my transcript data, and their system automatically identified which forms were filed including amendments. It highlighted all the key information my son's financial aid office needed to see. The best part was I didn't have to try deciphering the cryptic IRS transcript language - their system translated everything into plain English.

Just wanted to follow up on my skepticism about taxr.ai - I decided to give it a try since I was struggling to make sense of my IRS transcript. It actually worked really well for my situation. The interface made it super clear which parts of my amended return affected my AGI and other FAFSA-required info. What surprised me was how it spelled out exactly what my amendment changed and translated the tax jargon into normal language. The financial aid office accepted the documentation without any issues. Definitely saved me from having to pay the $43 fee and waiting months for the actual 1040X copy.

Another option you might want to consider is using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get direct help from the IRS. I was in a similar situation trying to get tax docs for my kid's financial aid, and after getting nowhere with the regular IRS phone line, I used their service to actually speak with an IRS agent. They basically hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you when an agent is about to pick up. Saved me hours of hold time, and the agent was able to tell me exactly what documentation I needed and how to get it fast. They have a quick demo video here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c that shows how it works.

I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try it since I'm also dealing with FAFSA documentation issues. I honestly can't believe how well it worked. Got connected to an IRS agent in about 45 minutes (without having to actually be on the phone that whole time). The agent explained that for FAFSA purposes, I could actually use a Record of Account transcript which shows both the original return info AND the amended return changes in one document. She helped me request it and I had it in my account the next day. Saved me weeks of waiting and the $43 fee for the exact form copy.

Another trick - check with your tax preparer if you used one. They're required to keep copies of returns they prepare for at least 3 years, though many keep them longer. When I needed old tax docs, my accountant had everything digitally archived going back 10+ years.

The financial aid office might be more flexible than you think. My daughter's school initially asked for a specific tax form we couldn't find, but when I called and explained the situation, they told me exactly what alternative documentation they would accept. It's worth reaching out to them directly instead of assuming what they'll require.

Just want to clarify something important - for FAFSA purposes, a "Tax Return Transcript" isn't your best option. What you actually need is a "Record of Account Transcript" which combines the tax return transcript and the account transcript in one document. This is the only transcript type that will show both your original return info AND the changes made by the 1040X amendment. You can request this same way as mentioned above through the "Get Transcript" tool on IRS.gov - just make sure to select "Record of Account Transcript" specifically.