If you have lost a letter, suspect one went missing, or simply want to see what the IRS has on your account without waiting for the post, there is an online account that shows a good deal of it.
What the account shows
The IRS individual online account includes the ability to “View digital notices from the IRS”, which is the part most people are looking for.
It also carries a fair amount that is useful when you are trying to work out what is going on:
- Balances owed, broken down by tax year
- Up to five years of payment history, including estimated tax payments
- Key return information including your adjusted gross income, plus transcripts
- The status of a refund or an amended return
- Information return documents such as Forms W-2 and certain 1099s
- Audit status, currently for certain audits conducted by mail
That last group is worth knowing about for a different reason. If you are missing a W-2 or a 1099 and cannot get a replacement from whoever issued it, the account is one way to see what was reported about you.
What it takes to set up
Identity verification, and it is not a formality. The IRS says: “If you’re a new user, have your photo identification ready.”
Set aside a quiet fifteen minutes rather than attempting it on a phone between other things. People abandon it halfway more often than they fail it.
What it does not replace
Three things worth being clear about.
It is not a substitute for reading the letter. The paper notice carries the deadline and the response instructions for your specific situation.
Not everything appears there. The account shows digital notices, and it is safer to treat it as a useful second view of your account rather than a complete archive of every piece of paper ever sent.
It does not tell you what to do. Seeing a balance and understanding why it exists are different things, and the second one is where the money usually is.
One warning about getting there
Go to the IRS site directly. Do not arrive at it through a link in an email or a text message.
The IRS says it emails only when you have opted in, sends text messages only when you have opted in, and that “A social media direct message is never from us.” An unexpected message with a link to sign in and verify your identity is the exact shape of an impersonation attempt, and an account like this one is what it is trying to reach.
If what you find does not make sense
A balance you do not recognise, a return marked as delayed with no explanation, or a notice you never received are all worth a conversation before you act on them. Bring what the account shows and any letters you do have.