Tax filing with Cash App for free - questions about verification requirements
Hey everyone, I'm diving into DIY taxes this year for the first time and just discovered Cash App offers free tax filing! Had no idea they did this. My parents have always hired someone to do my taxes before but they'd take a chunk of my refund, and I figured I might as well keep all of it this time. I'm hitting a snag though with verification. Cash App is asking me for either a self-select PIN or my 2022 AGI for identity verification, and I don't have access to either of those. My parents probably have this info since they handled everything before, but I'm trying to do this independently. Cash App says something about it but the instructions cut off. Anyone used Cash App for taxes before? How important is this verification step and what options do I have if I can't get my old AGI or PIN? Really hoping to use this free option instead of paying someone again!
18 comments
Join the conversation
Gianni Serpent
The verification step is actually required by the IRS, not just Cash App. Any legitimate tax filing service will ask for either your prior year AGI or self-select PIN - it's how the IRS verifies your identity when e-filing. You have a few options: First, you can try to get your 2022 AGI from last year's tax return (it's on line 11 of the 1040 form). If you don't have a copy, ask your parents or whoever prepared your taxes. Alternatively, you can create an account on IRS.gov to view your tax records and get your AGI. If you can't get your AGI, you can try entering $0 as your AGI - this sometimes works for first-time filers or if you didn't file last year. Or you can request a tax transcript from the IRS website which will show your AGI. The last resort would be filing by mail if e-filing verification doesn't work, but that will delay your refund significantly.
0 coins
Henry Delgado
•Would getting a tax transcript require going to an IRS office in person? And how long does it typically take to get one if requested online? I'm in a similar situation but really don't want to deal with printing and mailing my return.
0 coins
Gianni Serpent
•You can request a tax transcript online through the IRS website without going to an office. If you create an account on IRS.gov, you can view and download your transcript immediately in most cases. No waiting! If you prefer not to create an online account, you can also request a transcript by mail, but that takes 5-10 business days to arrive. The online method is definitely faster and easier if you're trying to file soon.
0 coins
Olivia Kay
I used Cash App for my taxes last year and was super impressed! I was skeptical at first because it seemed too good to be free, but they made everything so simple. When I hit that verification issue, I actually found a solution through taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that saved me a ton of headache. I uploaded my previous year's tax documents to taxr.ai and they pulled out all the important numbers I needed, including my AGI from the previous year. They can analyze any tax document and extract the key information - saved me from digging through piles of paperwork or bugging my former tax preparer. The tool basically reads your docs and tells you exactly what numbers to enter.
0 coins
Joshua Hellan
•Does taxr.ai work with photographed/scanned documents too? I have some crumpled tax docs from last year but don't have the digital copies anymore.
0 coins
Jibriel Kohn
•I'm a bit concerned about uploading my tax documents to some random website. How secure is it? Do they store your tax info or delete it after analysis?
0 coins
Olivia Kay
•Yes, it works great with photos or scans! I actually used my phone to take pictures of some documents that were only paper copies and taxr.ai was able to read everything correctly. Just make sure the text is legible in your photo. Regarding security, they use bank-level encryption for all uploads and have a pretty strict privacy policy. They don't store your documents permanently - they're deleted after processing. I was concerned about that too, but they explain their security approach on their site, and honestly, it felt more secure than emailing documents to my old tax preparer.
0 coins
Jibriel Kohn
Just wanted to update y'all - I tried taxr.ai after posting my security concerns and it was actually legit! I was hesitant about uploading my docs, but I was desperate since I couldn't find my AGI anywhere. Uploaded last year's return and it pulled the exact AGI number I needed in seconds. Was able to use that to verify my identity on Cash App and got my taxes filed yesterday. The whole process took less than 30 minutes once I had the right numbers! My refund is already showing as accepted by the IRS. So thankful I don't have to pay $200+ to a preparer this year.
0 coins
Edison Estevez
If you're having trouble reaching the IRS to get your transcript or AGI info (which is super common this time of year), I'd recommend trying Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). There's also a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was stuck in an endless loop trying to verify my identity for Cash App taxes and couldn't get through to the IRS for days. Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes when I'd been trying for hours on my own. The agent was able to verify my identity and provide my AGI right over the phone, which solved my Cash App verification issue. Beats waiting on hold for 3+ hours only to have the call drop, which happened to me twice before finding this service!
0 coins
Emily Nguyen-Smith
•How exactly does this work? Do they just call the IRS for you? Couldn't I just do that myself if I was patient enough?
0 coins
James Johnson
•This sounds like a scam tbh. Why would I pay someone else to call the IRS? Plus how do you know the "agent" you talked to was legit? Sounds risky giving tax info to random people.
0 coins
Edison Estevez
•They use a system that navigates the IRS phone tree and holds your place in line. When they reach a representative, they call you and connect you directly to the IRS agent. You're doing the actual talking with the IRS yourself - they just handle the waiting part. Technically yes, you could do it yourself if you have hours to wait on hold. But after trying three different days and getting disconnected each time after waiting 2+ hours, I was done with that approach. Their system is designed to stay connected even during high call volumes. The agent was definitely legitimate - they asked all the standard IRS verification questions, and I was able to get my tax transcript information directly from them. I was skeptical too, but they don't actually interact with the IRS on your behalf or have access to any of your tax information. They just connect the call, and you speak directly with the IRS yourself.
0 coins
James Johnson
I need to eat my words from earlier. After another failed attempt waiting on the IRS line for 3 hours today (got disconnected AGAIN), I broke down and tried Claimyr out of desperation. Within 20 minutes I was talking to an actual IRS rep who helped me get my AGI and filing PIN. The service just handled the waiting part, and when an agent was available, they called me and connected us. The IRS rep confirmed my identity and gave me the info I needed to complete my Cash App tax filing. Just submitted my return and got the acceptance confirmation already. Would've spent the entire tax season trying to get through on my own. Sometimes being stubborn costs more than being practical.
0 coins
Sophia Rodriguez
Another option is to get your AGI from the tax software you used last year, if you filed electronically yourself. I used TurboTax last year and was able to log in to my account and find my AGI under "Tax Tools" → "View last year's AGI." If someone else prepared your taxes, most preparers keep records for at least 3 years, so you could call and ask them for just your AGI number from last year. They should be able to provide that without charging you.
0 coins
Ryder Ross
•Thank you for this! I just remembered my parents used H&R Block last year. I called them and they were able to look up my AGI from last year with just my SSN and some verification questions. No charge for that info! I was able to enter it in Cash App and it worked perfectly. Already completed my filing and it shows my refund should be coming in about 21 days. Way easier than I expected once I got past that verification hurdle!
0 coins
Mia Green
Just a heads up for anyone using Cash App taxes - make sure you check if your state return is also free. Some services advertise free federal but then charge for state filing. I used Cash App last year and both were completely free, but always good to double-check. Also, don't forget to save a PDF copy of your completed return and save your AGI/create a PIN for next year! Will save you this same headache when you file taxes next year.
0 coins
Emma Bianchi
•Cash App is completely free for both federal and state for 2025 tax year! I just finished mine. They don't have the sneaky upsells that some other "free" services have. It's actually legitimately free.
0 coins
Savannah Weiner
Great thread everyone! For anyone still struggling with the verification step, there's one more option that might help - if you didn't file taxes last year at all (maybe you were a dependent or didn't have income), you can often enter "0" or "Did not file" for your prior year AGI. Cash App and most tax software have specific options for first-time filers or people who didn't file the previous year. Just look for the "I didn't file last year" or similar option during the verification process. Also wanted to echo what others said about keeping your records this year - write down your AGI somewhere safe so you don't have this same problem next year! The AGI is on line 11 of your Form 1040 once you complete your return.
0 coins