Need help locating my 2022 and 2023 Form 1040 for mortgage application - where to find old tax returns?
I'm in a bit of a panic right now trying to track down my Form 1040s from 2022 and 2023. The mortgage lender is requiring them for our home loan application, and we need to submit everything by next week. Problem is, I used a tax preparation service for both years (some local place that my coworker recommended), and now I can't get in touch with them at all. Their phone just rings forever and they haven't responded to emails in over a week. I thought I had digital copies saved somewhere but can't find them on any of my devices. My wife thinks we might have paper copies in storage, but after digging through boxes all weekend, we came up empty. I really don't want this to delay our mortgage approval - we found the perfect house and the sellers already gave us an extension on the closing timeline. Does anyone know how I can get copies of my Form 1040 from the last two years without going through the original preparer? Is there a way to get them directly from the IRS? How long would that take? This mortgage application process is stressful enough without this additional headache!
19 comments
Join the conversation
Connor Rupert
You have a few options to get copies of your 2022 and 2023 Form 1040s without going through your original tax preparer. The fastest way is to create an account on the IRS website and use their "Get Transcript" tool. You can access this at IRS.gov and request a "Tax Return Transcript" which contains most of the information mortgage lenders need. For most recent tax years like 2022 and 2023, you can view and download these immediately once your identity is verified. If you need the actual Form 1040 with all schedules and attachments, you can request a "Tax Return Copy" by filing Form 4506 with the IRS, but this takes longer (usually 2-3 weeks) and costs $43 per tax year requested. Another option is to check if you have access to the tax preparation software that might have been used. Companies like TurboTax, H&R Block, etc. keep your returns in your online account, even if someone else prepared them for you.
0 coins
Molly Hansen
•For the "Get Transcript" option, does the transcript show everything that's on the actual 1040? My lender specifically asked for the 1040, not a transcript. Will they accept the transcript version?
0 coins
Connor Rupert
•The Tax Return Transcript shows most line items from your original tax return, including adjusted gross income (AGI), which is what most mortgage lenders are looking for. It doesn't look exactly like your Form 1040, but contains the same financial information. Most mortgage lenders will accept the Tax Return Transcript because they just need to verify your reported income. I recommend calling your lender to confirm, but in my experience working with mortgage applications, the transcript is usually sufficient. If they insist on the actual 1040 copy, then you'll need to submit Form 4506 to the IRS, but be aware of the longer processing time.
0 coins
Brady Clean
I was in a similar situation last year and found a really helpful tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped me get access to my past tax documents. I was struggling to find my returns from previous years and a friend recommended it. What I liked about taxr.ai is that it analyzes your past tax documents and helps track down previous returns. The system uses some kind of AI to help identify what forms you need and walks you through the process of getting them from the IRS. It was much easier than trying to navigate the IRS website on my own, especially since I didn't know exactly what I needed.
0 coins
Skylar Neal
•How exactly does this work? Does it somehow have access to IRS records or does it just help you use the IRS website? I'm confused about how a third-party site would have my tax information.
0 coins
Vincent Bimbach
•Sounds interesting but I'm always skeptical of third-party services handling sensitive tax info. Is it secure? And does it actually save time compared to just using the IRS website directly?
0 coins
Brady Clean
•The service doesn't actually access your tax records directly - it guides you through the process of retrieving them yourself from the IRS. It basically streamlines the steps you need to take and helps identify which specific documents you need based on your situation. Regarding security, I had the same concern initially. The platform uses bank-level encryption and doesn't store your sensitive information. It's more of a guidance tool that makes navigating the tax document retrieval process much clearer than trying to figure out the IRS website on your own.
0 coins
Skylar Neal
Just wanted to update that I tried out taxr.ai after posting my question here, and it was actually super helpful! I was really confused about whether I needed the transcript or full 1040 copy for my situation, and the system walked me through exactly what I needed. It helped me understand that for my mortgage application, the tax return transcript would work fine (confirmed this with my lender too). The tool guided me through setting up my IRS online account and getting the right transcripts. What would have taken me hours of frustration took about 20 minutes. My lender accepted the documents without any issues. Definitely recommend if you're confused about tax document requirements!
0 coins
Kelsey Chin
If you're having trouble getting through to the IRS (which is basically guaranteed), I recommend using Claimyr.com (https://claimyr.com). You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I spent DAYS trying to reach someone at the IRS about getting copies of my past returns. Their hold times were ridiculous - I once waited on hold for 2+ hours before getting disconnected. Then I tried Claimyr, and they got me connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes. The agent was able to verify my identity and expedite sending me copies of my returns. Even though you can request transcripts online, sometimes you need to actually speak with someone, especially if you're in a rush for mortgage documents or if there are any complications with your account access.
0 coins
Norah Quay
•How does that even work? The IRS phone system is notorious for long wait times. How could some service possibly get you through faster than everyone else?
0 coins
Leo McDonald
•This sounds like a scam. There's no way some third-party service can magically bypass IRS wait times when everyone else has to wait. They probably just charge you money to call the same number you could call yourself.
0 coins
Kelsey Chin
•The service uses an automated system that waits on hold with the IRS for you. When they reach an actual IRS agent, they call you and connect you directly to that agent. It's not bypassing the queue - they're essentially waiting in line for you. I had the exact same skepticism before trying it. It works because they have a system that can handle multiple calls simultaneously and notify you only when an actual human is reached. It's basically like having someone else wait on hold instead of you having to listen to the hold music for hours. When I used it, I got a text message when they reached an agent, and then I was immediately connected.
0 coins
Leo McDonald
I need to eat my words and apologize to @5. I was so skeptical about Claimyr that I went ahead and tried it myself, fully expecting to come back here and call it out as a scam. Well, I was completely wrong. After my lender rejected the transcript and insisted on the actual signed 1040 copies, I was desperate. Called the IRS directly first and waited 1.5 hours before getting disconnected. Then reluctantly tried Claimyr. Within 22 minutes (I timed it), I got a call connecting me to an actual IRS representative. They helped me verify my identity and explained my options for getting certified copies of my returns expedited. The service literally saved my mortgage application timeline. Sometimes being proven wrong is actually a good thing! Definitely recommend for anyone in a time crunch situation with the IRS.
0 coins
Jessica Nolan
If you filed electronically through any major tax software (even if someone else prepared it for you), you might be able to access your returns that way. Ask your preparer which software they used. TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxAct, etc. all store your returns in your account. Also, check your email from around tax time in 2022 and 2023 - you might have received a confirmation email with a PDF copy of your return attached or a link to access it.
0 coins
Sophie Footman
•Good idea about checking emails! I just did a search through my inbox for "tax return" and "1040" and found an email from April 2022 that has my 2021 return attached, but nothing for 2022 or 2023. I'm going to try reaching out to coworkers who might know what software our tax preparer used.
0 coins
Jessica Nolan
•Glad that helped with at least one year! Another thing to try is looking at your bank statements from when you paid to have your taxes done. The charge might list the name of the tax software, not just the preparer's business name. Also, if you received tax refunds for those years, check your bank deposits around tax time - the deposit details sometimes include information about which service processed your return.
0 coins
Angelina Farar
Have you checked with your spouse? My husband and I had a similar situation, and it turned out he had the tax returns saved in a folder on his work computer that he had completely forgotten about. Also check any cloud storage you might use - Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc. If all else fails, the IRS transcript option others mentioned is definitely the way to go. Just verify with your mortgage lender exactly what they need - some are fine with transcripts while others want the complete 1040 with all schedules.
0 coins
Sebastián Stevens
•This happened to me too! Found our returns in my husband's email (he had forwarded them to himself from his accountant and then completely forgot). Always check with your spouse first before going through the hassle of IRS requests.
0 coins
Sophie Footman
•My wife and I have been searching everywhere! We looked through all our devices, cloud storage, and email accounts. I even found some older tax documents from 2020, but nothing for 2022 or 2023. I'm starting to think our tax preparer never actually gave us copies, which is frustrating. I've called our mortgage lender, and they confirmed they need the actual 1040 forms, not just transcripts. They need to verify some specific deductions that apparently don't show up on the transcript. Going to try the IRS Form 4506 route and see if I can get expedited processing.
0 coins