I just ordered tax transcripts from the IRS for Mark's upcoming naturalization application. While I was going through the automated system, I wrote down the options to get through it quickly, in case I messed up and needed to go through it again, but without having to listen to everything. I didn't need to do that, but I figured since I've got this "cheat sheet," why not post it so others can benefit?

First, for those of you wondering what a tax transcript is, the IRS's definition of it is:

Most needs for tax return information can be met with a tax return transcript or a tax account transcript, rather than an actual copy of the return. The tax return transcript shows information from the return as it was originally filed. A tax account transcript shows any later adjustments either the taxpayer or the IRS made after the tax return was filed. Transcripts are provided free of charge. These transcripts may be acceptable substitutes for an actual copy of the return by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services and lending agencies for student loans and mortgages. Check with your agency or lender to be sure.

Most of us going through marriage-based immigration need these at some point or another, whether it be to support the I-134 or I-864 affidavits of support, or as evidence of a co-mingled life for the I-751 removal of conditions application or a marriage-based N-400 naturalization application. USCIS and US consulates both accept them, and they're free.

Anyway, here's how to navigate the IRS's automated phone system to order one or more tax transcripts:

1. Call 1-800–829–1040
2. Press 3
3. Enter your SSN to access your account
4. Press 1
5. After your SSN is read back in full, press 1
6. Press 3
7. Enter the number of street address (ie, you live at 1234 Main Street, so enter "1234"); do not enter letters or fractions.
8. Press 2
9. Enter the tax year of the transcript you want (2005, etc). The oldest transcript you can order is from six years ago.
10. Press 1
11. Press 1
12. If you want another transcript from a different tax year, repeat steps 8 through 11
13. Keep repeating steps steps 8 through 11 until you have ordered all the transcripts you want
14. When you are finished ordering transcripts, press 3

According to the automated system, you should receive your transcripts at your home address in about two weeks.

~ Jenney

Yeah, and it took them three months to send me mine.

Thanks for the info. We are also gathering info to send in with DH's
N-400 application but I just plan on sending copies of our 1040s, with
the money amounts blacked out. That;s what we did for removal of
conditions and there was no problem.

If you can navigate to the proper place and if you are at a location with a fax machine they will fax them while you hold. I did this in 2003 for my K-3 application and I did it last week for my 2004 tax information. Sorry...I didn't take notes so I can't give you the prompts. I do know that I had to ask this time for them to fax them and the nice lady on the other end of the telephone was very happy to do so.

Good Luck,

T

3 months? Everytime I've done it, I've received my transcripts within 2 weeks. I guess I got lucky!

Mine came in about 10 days, also.

Rene

And mine.

Thank you........useful information.

I'm glad people are finding this useful. I rarely call any 800 number anymore without first looking it up on gethuman.com! And FWIW, every time I've ordered tax transcripts, I've gotten them in less than a week.

I should mention -- which I didn't in my first post -- that the sequence of numbers you press is assuming that you put in the numbers correctly. If you think you might have messed up, then you'll want to listen to the playback to make sure you pressed the right numbers.

~ Jenney

Yep, got them today -- only took four days this time. Exceptionally good when you consider that I ordered them on Saturday evening.

~ Jenney