When you’re preparing to file your taxes online, it’s important to sign and verify them electronically to get your previous year’s adjusted income (AGI). This verification step is important for the IRS to confirm your identity in filing your electronic tax return. Here are key points about AGI and instructions on how to find it on your tax return for secure e-filing.

What is AGI?:

Adjusted gross income (AGI) shows your total income for the year, minus specific allowable adjustments. These changes may include.

  • Self-employment retirement and IRS contributions
  • Half of the self-employment tax
  • Paid maintenance

AGI determines your eligibility for various tax credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child/Dependent Care Tax Credit, Medical Deduction Allowance and in addition is used to calculate your total taxable income.

Find your prior year AGI for e-filing (2023 tax form).

When you file your 2023 tax return, you need to find out the AGI for the year before your 2022 tax return. Search in the following areas.

Making sure you have this information on hand will simplify the e-filing process and help you meet the IRS’ identity verification requirements.

Note if you are a first-time filer who’s over 16 years old, you should enter “0” (zero) as your prior-year AGI.

If your filing status is currently “Married Filing Jointly,” but only one spouse filed a tax return for the previous year, you should enter “0” (zero) for the spouse who didn’t file last year and enter the prior-year AGI for the spouse who did file.

What If You Don’t Have Last Year’s Tax Return?

It is essential to hold copies of all your tax returns and any supporting documents. If you used a tax preparer ultimate year, you have to be capable of get a copy of your beyond tax go back from that preparer. Otherwise, if you want to attain a full replica of a previous yr tax return, you may use Form 4506 (Request for Copy of Tax Form) and pay the IRS charge.

Alternately, a tax go back transcript consists of less records than a duplicate of your tax go back, however it is enough for retrieving your previous-12 months AGI. You can achieve a free transcript of your beyond tax go back by the usage of the IRS “Get Transcript” online tool. After passing the identity verification system, you will be able to view your preceding yr AGI. Or, if you pick, you can ask for a tax transcript by way of filing Form 4506-T (Request for Transcript of Tax Return).

Of path, you could constantly call the IRS to make those requests, or if you have every other man or woman income tax questions: 1-800-829-1040.

What If Your Filing Status Changed?

No count number what your submitting status has changed to/from, you’ll nonetheless use your authentic AGI from your prior-yr tax go back. Here are some examples:

If you acquire married all through the past 12 months and your filing reputation modified from “Single” to “Married Filing Jointly,” then you definately and your spouse must each use your individual unique AGI from your respective preceding 12 months tax returns.

On the other hand, in case your filing popularity shifted from “Married Filing Jointly” to “Single,” then both people need to use the same authentic AGI from their previous 12 months joint tax go back.

Electronic Filing PIN

The IRS has announced that it’ll no longer be the usage of the electronic filing (e-File) PIN as a signature verification method for online tax returns. The e-File PIN program changed into centered with the aid of cyber hacks and it’s been suspended to defend non-public taxpayer facts.

E-File Your Tax Return

Millions of taxpayers select to document their tax returns electronically as it saves time and money. Make certain you protect your private/touchy statistics and only use a good tax preparer this is an Authorized IRS e-File Provider.

There are many blessings to submitting taxes online – consisting of extra accuracy for math calculations, larger tax refunds, and the potential to music and arrange your facts. Additionally, the IRS techniques digital returns tons quicker than paper/mail returns, this means that you get your tax refund faster!

Subscribe to E-Mail Newsletters and Alerts