What is AGI and why does H&R Block keep asking for last year's amount?
I'm trying to do my taxes via H&R Block online and I'm being told that I need to enter my AGI from last year to verify my identity. I'm completely confused because I filed through TurboTax last year and don't have those documents anymore. When I try to skip this step, H&R Block won't let me proceed with e-filing. What exactly is AGI anyway? Is this something I can find on last year's return somewhere? Or is there another way to verify my identity without this? I'm already stressed about filing before the deadline and now this roadblock is making everything worse. Any help would be appreciated because I'm about ready to just pay someone to do this for me!
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Olivia Clark
AGI stands for Adjusted Gross Income and it's basically your total income minus certain adjustments (like student loan interest, HSA contributions, etc.). The IRS uses your previous year's AGI as a security measure when e-filing - it's like a password to verify it's really you. If you filed with TurboTax last year, you should be able to find your AGI on line 11 of your 2023 Form 1040. If you don't have a copy of your return, you can try logging into your TurboTax account from last year to access it. Alternatively, you can request a tax transcript from the IRS website which will show your AGI. Don't stress too much - this happens to a lot of people who switch tax software from year to year!
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Yara Assad
•Thanks for explaining! I'll check line 11 on my return. I think I might have a PDF somewhere on my computer. If I can't find it, how long does it take to get a transcript from the IRS?
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Olivia Clark
•You can get an online transcript immediately if you can verify your identity through the IRS website. They'll ask for some personal info and financial details to create an account. If you prefer to get it by mail instead, it usually takes 5-10 business days to arrive. If you're really in a pinch and can't find your return or get a transcript in time, you can also try entering "0" as your prior year AGI. This sometimes works for first-time filers, but it might also work in your case if the IRS can't match your previous return for some reason.
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Javier Morales
I ran into this EXACT same problem last month switching from TurboTax to H&R Block! After wasting hours trying to find my old returns, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which saved me so much time. You can upload your old tax documents or even pictures of forms and it extracts all the important numbers including your AGI. I just snapped a photo of my messy 2023 return and it pulled my AGI instantly - then finished my H&R Block filing in minutes.
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Natasha Petrov
•Does this actually work with partial documents? I have my return from last year but coffee spilled on the first page and I can't read some numbers clearly.
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Connor O'Brien
•Is it secure? I'm always worried about uploading tax docs to random websites...seems risky with all my personal info.
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Javier Morales
•Yes, it absolutely works with partial documents! The AI is pretty amazing at figuring out what's what even if parts are unclear or missing. I've used it with some pretty badly crumpled documents and it still extracted everything correctly. It's definitely secure - they use the same level of encryption as banks and don't store your documents after processing. I was concerned about that too so I checked their privacy policy before uploading anything. They just extract the numbers you need and then everything gets deleted automatically.
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Natasha Petrov
Just wanted to update that I tried taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here and it worked perfectly! I took pictures of my messy tax return from last year and it found my AGI in seconds. H&R Block accepted it immediately and I was able to e-file without any more hassle. Honestly wish I'd known about this sooner instead of digging through boxes looking for my paperwork.
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Amina Diallo
If you're still having trouble getting your AGI and need to talk to someone at the IRS directly, good luck getting through on their phone lines! I spent 4 hours on hold last week. Then I found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that got me through to an IRS agent in like 15 minutes. They have this cool demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - basically they navigate the IRS phone tree for you and call you back when they've got an agent on the line. The agent was able to verify my identity and tell me my AGI from last year.
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GamerGirl99
•How does this actually work? Sounds kinda fishy tbh. Like how do they get you to the front of the line when everyone else is waiting for hours?
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Hiroshi Nakamura
•Yeah right... if this actually worked everyone would use it and the IRS would shut it down. I'll believe it when I see it.
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Amina Diallo
•It's not about getting to the front of the line - they use technology to keep dialing and navigating the menus for you so you don't have to wait on hold yourself. The system basically waits in the queue for you and only calls you when they've got a live person on the line. It's completely legitimate and works with the IRS's existing phone system. They can't magically create a shorter line, but they take over the tedious part of waiting and dealing with all those automated menus. Saved me an entire afternoon of sitting with my phone on speaker waiting for someone to pick up.
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Hiroshi Nakamura
OK I have to eat my words. I was super skeptical about Claimyr but got desperate after waiting on hold with the IRS for THREE separate calls that all disconnected after 1+ hour. Tried the Claimyr service and no joke, I got a call back with an actual IRS agent on the line in about 20 minutes. Agent confirmed my AGI and I was able to finish my return. Never been so happy to be wrong about something!
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Isabella Costa
Another option nobody's mentioned yet - if you used H&R Block in person last year instead of TurboTax, they might have your return on file. My wife thought she used TurboTax last year but actually used H&R Block in a mall kiosk, and when she logged into her account all her old info was there.
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Malik Jenkins
•This happened to me too! I was confusing which service I used which year. Worth checking both accounts if you have them.
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Isabella Costa
•Definitely good advice to check both accounts. It's surprising how easy it is to mix up which tax service you used, especially if you've switched back and forth over the years. Most of these services store your returns for several years, so there's a good chance you can access it by logging in.
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Freya Andersen
If all else fails and the deadline is getting too close, you can always file a paper return! It takes longer to get your refund, but at least you'll avoid penalties for filing late. The AGI verification is only required for e-filing.
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Eduardo Silva
•Paper filing is the worst option IMO. Takes forever to process and way more likely to have errors or get lost. Last year I paper filed and it took 4+ months to get my refund.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
Another quick tip that might help - if you're still stuck and need your AGI fast, you can also call the IRS automated phone line at 1-800-908-9946. It's available 24/7 and you can get your prior year AGI without waiting for a human agent. You'll need your SSN, filing status, and the exact refund amount from last year (or the amount you owed if you had to pay). The system will give you your AGI immediately if you can verify those details. Way faster than waiting for transcripts or trying to dig up old documents!
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Natasha Ivanova
•This is super helpful! I had no idea there was a 24/7 automated line for getting AGI. That's way better than waiting hours to talk to someone. Do you happen to know if this works even if you filed jointly with a spouse? I'm wondering if both people need to be on the call or if one person can get the AGI for a joint return.
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