Hold On to Your Tax Returns; Options for Students, Others to Get Help with Tax Information

The IRS recommends that you always keep a copy of your tax return for your records. You may need copies of your filed tax returns for many reasons. For example, they can help you prepare future tax returns. You'll also need them if you have to amend a prior year return. You often need them when you apply for a loan to buy a home or to start a business. You may need them if you apply for student financial aid.

If you can't find your copies, the IRS can provide a transcript of the tax information you need or a copy of your ta return. Here's more information, including how to get your federal tax return information from the IRS:

• Transcripts are free and you can get them for the current year and the past three years. In most cases, a transcript includes the tax information you need.
• A tax return transcript shows most line items from the tax return that you filed. It also includes items from any accompanying forms and schedules that you filed. It doesn't reflect any changes you or the IRS may have made after you filed your original return.
• A tax account transcript includes your marital status, the type of return you filed, your adjusted gross income and taxable income. It does include any changes that you or the IRS made to your tax return after you filed it.
• You can order your free transcripts online, by phone, by mail or fax at this time.
• The IRS has temporarily stopped the online functionality of the Get Transcript application process on the IRS.gov website that delivered your transcript immediately. The IRS is making modifications and further strengthening security for the online service. While you can still use the Get Transcript tool to order your transcript, the IRS will send it to you via mail to the last address the IRS has on file for you.
• To order your transcript online and have it delivered by mail, go to IRS.gov and use the Get Transcript tool.
• To order by phone, call 800-908-9946 and follow the prompts.
• To request an individual tax return transcript by mail or fax, complete Form 4506-EZ, Short Form Request for Individual Tax Return Transcript. Businesses and individuals who need a tax account transcript should use Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return.
• You should receive your transcript within five to 10 days from the time the IRS receives your request. Please note that ordering your transcript online or over the phone are the quickest options.
• Keep in mind that the method you used to file your return and whether you have a refund or balance due affects your current year transcript availability.
• If you need a copy of your filed and processed tax return, it will cost you $50 for each tax year. You should complete Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return, to make the request. Mail it to the IRS address listed on the form for your area. Copies are generally available for the current year and past six years. You should allow 75 days for delivery.

Mortgage Applicants. If you are applying for a mortgage, most mortgage companies only require a tax return transcript for income verification purposes and participate in the IRS IVES (Income Verification Express Service) program. If you need to order a transcript, please follow the process described above and have it mailed to the address The IRS has on file for you. Please plan accordingly and allow time for delivery.

Disaster Victims. If you live in a federally declared disaster area, you can get a free copy of your tax return. Visit IRS.gov for more disaster relief information.

Financial Aid Applicants. If you are applying for financial aid you can use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool on the FAFSA website to import your tax return information to your financial aid application. The temporary shutdown of the Get Transcript tool does not affect the Data Retrieval Tool. You may also click on their help page for more information.

If you need a copy of your transcript you should follow the information above to request it as soon as possible. It takes 5 to 10 calendar days for transcripts to arrive at the address the IRS has on file for you.

Identity Theft Victims. Did you receive a notice from the IRS about a suspicious return? Has the IRS notified you that it did not accept your e-filed return because of a duplicate Social Security number? If you answered yes to either question, then you may be a victim of tax-related identity theft. If you are a tax-related identity theft victim, you first need to file the Identity Theft Affidavit. If you are waiting for the IRS to resolve your case but need a transcript, you will need to call  our Identity Protection Specialized Unit line to process your request. You can call the Unit at 800-908-4490. For more information, please review the IRS' Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft.

Tax forms are available 24/7 at IRS.gov/forms. You can also call 800-829-3676 to get them by mail.

Additional IRS Resources:

Tax Topic 156 -- Copy of Transcript of Your Tax Return -- How to Get One

Tips on Travel While Giving Your Services to Charity

Do you plan to donate your services to charity this summer? Will you travel as part of the service? If so, some travel expenses may help lower your taxes when you file your tax return next year. Here are several tax tips that you should know if you travel while giving your services to charity.

• Qualified Charities.  In order to deduct your costs, your volunteer work must be for a qualified charity. Most groups must apply to the IRS to become qualified. Churches and governments are qualified, and do not need to apply to the IRS. Ask the group about its IRS status before you donate. You can also use the Select Check tool on IRS.gov to check the group’s status.

• Out-of-Pocket Expenses.  You may be able to deduct some costs you pay to give your services. This can include the cost of travel. The costs must be necessary while you are away from home giving your services for a qualified charity. All  costs must be:

o Unreimbursed,
o Directly connected with the services,
o Expenses you had only because of the services you gave, and
o Not personal, living or family expenses.

• Genuine and Substantial Duty.  Your charity work has to be real and substantial throughout the trip. You can’t deduct expenses if you only have nominal duties or do not have any duties for significant parts of the trip.

• Value of Time or Service.  You can’t deduct the value of your services that you give to charity. This includes income lost while you work as an unpaid volunteer for a qualified charity.

• Deductible travel.  The types of expenses that you may be able to deduct include:

o Air, rail and bus transportation,
o Car expenses,
o Lodging costs,
o The cost of meals, and
o Taxi or other transportation costs between the airport or station and your hotel.

• Nondeductible Travel.  Some types of travel do not qualify for a tax deduction. For example, you can’t deduct your costs if a significant part of the trip involves recreation or a vacation.

For more on these rules, see Publication 526, Charitable Contributions. You can get it on IRS.gov/forms at any time.

Employers Providing Self-Insured Health Coverage Must Report on Information Returns

This tax tip is updated to clarify that self-insured employers that are not applicable large employers, those with fewer than 50 full-time or full-time equivalent employees in the preceding calendar year, should file Form 1095-B. Self-insured employers that are applicable large employers should report health coverage information on Form 1095-C.  This tip does not apply to information reporting on health care coverage of individuals who are not employees or entitled to coverage because of a relationship to an employee.

All providers of health coverage, including employers that provide self-insured coverage, must file annual returns with the IRS reporting information about the coverage and about each covered individual.  Insurance Companies must report on coverage under employer plans that are insured.
Employers should report this information on Forms 1094-B and 1095-B or on Forms 1094-C and 1095-C, depending on whether the employer is an applicable large employer for purposes of the employer shared responsibility provisions. An applicable large employer is generally defined as an employer that employed an average of at least 50 full-time employees – including full-time equivalent employees – in the preceding calendar year. `

As coverage providers, employers providing self-insured coverage that are not applicable large employers must:

• Report the coverage on a Form 1095-B, Health Coverage, filed with the IRS, accompanied by a Form 1094-B transmittal. While filers of more than 250 Forms 1095-B must e-file, the IRS allows and encourages entities with fewer than 250 forms to e-file.
• Furnish a copy of the 1095-B to a “responsible individual,” the person who should be the statement recipient.  For employer coverage the statement recipient generally is the employee. Providers, including self-insured employers, may electronically furnish the Form 1095-B if the recipient consents.

If an employer providing self-insured coverage is an applicable large employer, it generally reports information regarding coverage of an individual on Form 1095-C instead of Form 1095-B.  Form 1095-C combines reporting for two provisions of the Affordable Care Act for these employers.  However, when reporting coverage of an individual who was not a full-time employee for any month of the year, an applicable large employer may choose to use Form 1095-B.

The information reporting requirements are first effective for coverage provided in 2015.  Thus, health coverage providers will file information returns with the IRS in 2016, and will furnish statements to individuals in 2016, to report coverage information in calendar year 2015.

The information that a provider must report to the IRS includes the following:

• The name, address, and employer identification number of the provider.
• The statement recipient’s name, address, and taxpayer identification number, or date of birth if a TIN is not available.  If the statement recipient is not enrolled in the coverage, providers may, but are not required to, report the TIN.
• The name and TIN, or date of birth if a TIN is not available, of each individual covered under the policy or program and the months for which the individual was enrolled in coverage and entitled to receive benefits.

For more information, see Questions and Answers on Information Reporting by Health Coverage Providers on IRS.gov/aca.  Employers who provide self-insured coverage should review Publication 5215, Responsibilities for Health Coverage Providers. Applicable large employers should review Publication 5196, Reporting Requirements for Applicable Large Employers.

Keep Track of Miscellaneous Deductions

Miscellaneous deductions can cut taxes. These may include certain expenses you paid for in your work if you are an employee. You must itemize deductions when you file to claim these costs. So if you usually claim the standard deduction, think about itemizing instead. You might pay less tax if you itemize.  Here are some IRS tax tips you should know that may help you reduce your taxes:
Deductions Subject to the Limit.  You can deduct most miscellaneous costs only if their sum is more than two percent of your adjusted gross income. These include expenses such as:

• Unreimbursed employee expenses.
• Job search costs for a new job in the same line of work.
• Some work clothes and uniforms.
• Tools for your job.
• Union dues. • Work-related travel and transportation.
• The cost you paid to prepare your tax return. These fees include the cost you paid for tax preparation software. They also include any fee you paid for e-filing of your return.

Deductions Not Subject to the Limit.  Some deductions are not subject to the two percent limit. They include:

• Certain casualty and theft losses. In most cases, this rule applies to damaged or stolen property you held for investment.  This may include property such as stocks, bonds and works of art.
• Gambling losses up to the total of your gambling winnings.
• Losses from Ponzi-type investment schemes.

There are many expenses that you can’t deduct. For example, you can’t deduct personal living or family expenses. You claim allowable miscellaneous deductions on Schedule A, Itemized Deductions. For more about this topic see Publication 529, Miscellaneous Deductions. You can get it on IRS.gov/forms at any time.
Additional IRS Resources:

• Tax Topic 508 – Miscellaneous Expenses
• Interactive Tax Assistant tool – Can I Claim My Expenses as Miscellaneous Itemized Deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040)?

Self-Insured Employers Must File Health Coverage Information Returns

Regardless of size, all employers that provide self-insured health coverage to their employees are treated as coverage providers. These employers must file an annual return reporting certain information for each employee they cover.
As coverage providers, these employers must:

• File a Form 1095-B, Health Coverage, with the IRS, accompanied by a Form 1094-B transmittal. Filers of more than 250 Forms 1095-B must e-file. The IRS allows and encourages entities with fewer than 250 forms to e-file.
• Furnish a copy of the 1095-B to the responsible individual – generally the primary insured, employee, parent or uniformed services sponsor. You may electronically furnish the Form 1095-B.

If a provider is an applicable large employer also providing self-insured coverage, it reports covered individuals on Form 1095-C instead of Form 1095-B. Form 1095-C combines reporting for two provisions of the Affordable Care Act for these employers.
The information reporting requirements are first effective for coverage provided in 2015.  Thus, health coverage providers will file information returns with the IRS in 2016, and will furnish statements to individuals in 2016, to report coverage information in calendar year 2015.
The information that a provider must report to the IRS includes the following:

• The name, address, and employer identification number of the provider.
• The responsible individual’s name, address, and taxpayer identification number, or date of birth if a TIN is not available.  If the responsible individual is not enrolled in the coverage, providers may, but are not required to, report the TIN of the responsible individual.
• The name and TIN, or date of birth if a TIN is not available, of each individual covered under the policy or program and the months for which the individual was enrolled in coverage and entitled to receive benefits.

For more information, see Questions and Answers on Information Reporting by Health Coverage Providers on IRS.gov/aca.  Employers who provide self-insured coverage should review Publication 5125, Responsibilities for Health Coverage Providers. Applicable large employers should review Publication 5196, Reporting Requirements for Applicable Large Employers.