How To Research Your IRS Account

IRS Account Review at a Glance:

• IRS account information is not available or readable.
• You can get the required information by requesting your IRS tax transcripts.
• Transcripts provide account information, tax returns, and income.
• You can get help from an expert, review the tax bill and even allow your tax professional to work with the IRS for you.

What you need to know when researching your IRS account

The IRS sends millions of alerts each year. Some of these advertisements are for informational purposes only. Others need a quick answer. Many IRS communications refer to anomalies in the accounts that occur when the information on which IRS have does not match you. Other warnings may include more complex issues, such as checking or stealing your tax identity. The key to finding a solution to any tax problem is how to navigate the IRS. Investigating your IRS account and getting IRS information can help you solve an IRS problem before it becomes a problem.

Also, if you prefer to get help with the IRS, you can authorize a tax advisor. Your tax advisor can request information from your IRS account to solve a problem or even work with him to help you and to quickly solve problems. Sometimes having an expert in your area can make a big difference in IRS navigation.

Look for IRS online tax information

In your IRS Online account, you can view invoices, view payments made in the last 18 months, and download transcripts. If your transcripts have unusual activity, you should contact the IRS for more information.

Tip: IRS uses a full set of authentication measures to confirm your identity and allows you to create an online account. Many taxpayers have trouble following this process. In case of access problems, you must call the IRS or get help from a tax advisor.

How to search for an IRS account

The IRS keeps track of you, such as:

• Statement of IRS account, including tax payments you made, changes and possible adjustments
• Your information on wages and earnings collected from statements that employers, banks and other taxpayers must submit annually to the IRS
• Details of tax returns that you submit to the IRS.
• Any pending action from the IRS, such as levies or liens, if you owe taxes and have not paid

The best way to quickly get information about your IRS account is to request a transcript of the IRS. 

You can request three types of transcripts:

• Account transcripts provide information about the financial status of your accounts, such as payments, fines assessments, and adjustments to your account.
• Salary and income transcripts contain income information for Form W-2, 1099 forms, etc.
• Transcripts display information from a tax return filed with the IRS.

With this information, it will be much easier to solve any IRS tax problem before it becomes a problem. Have all the information to identify errors that may occur in IRS systems. Not all IRS alerts are correct (many of them come from automated systems), so it's essential to have a precise idea of what is going on before moving on to the next steps.

Outsource the research to a professional

Tax practitioners have a special IRS line to get information about their clients. Experienced tax experts can interpret IRS transcripts and find out if something is wrong. They can also talk to internal revenue representatives to understand their tax situation, save time and avoid headaches. Understanding if you know the IRS is not easy, but it's important. That's why many taxpayers use a tax advisor to help them interact with the IRS, whether they have a simple question, whether they're checking compliance or solving a problem.

Hire a tax advisor

If you do not want to deal with the IRS personally, you can hire someone to help you. 

To allow a tax advisor to help you, you must use one of two common methods:

• Form 8821, Tax Information Authorization, allows the taxable professional to access IRS account information but does not work with the IRS to resolve issues.
• Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration allows your tax advisor to work with the IRS as a lawyer for you.