IRS Transcript Center
Which transcript answers which question.
There are several IRS transcript products and they are not interchangeable. This is what each one shows and when to order it.
Start here
Start with the underwriting question.
Work backwards from what you are trying to prove, and the record chooses itself.
Reference
Which transcript answers which question.
IRS transcripts are not interchangeable. The right record depends on what the lender is trying to prove. Ordering the wrong one can add delay without answering the underwriting question.
| Record | What it shows | Use it when | What it does not answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1040 Return Transcript | Most line items from the original return as filed, including filing status, AGI and related forms and schedules | You need to verify the income and tax information reported on the original individual return | Later amendments or post-filing account changes |
| Wage & Income | W-2, 1099, 1098 and other payer-reported information available in IRS records | You need an independent view of payer-reported income to compare with borrower-provided documents | May not reflect every information return issued, particularly while the current year is still populating |
| Record of Account | Return transcript data combined with account activity in one record | Amendments, adjustments or post-filing changes matter to the decision | Does not reproduce the full amended return |
| Account Transcript | Account activity including filing status, payments, adjustments, penalties, interest and balance information | You need to know whether a return posted, or what is happening on the account | The income detail from the return itself |
| 1065 / 1120 / 1120-S | Entity-level tax information from the business return as filed | Borrower income flows through a partnership, S corporation or corporation | Attached statements and documents, K-1s and current financial statements |
IRS transcripts summarize information maintained by the IRS. They do not reproduce the original filed document page for page, and some transcript types intentionally omit attachments or mask identifying information.
Related, but not an IRS record
Government-source verification from the SSA.
Form SSA-89 is often ordered on the same file, but it is not an IRS transcript and it answers a different question.
| Record | What it shows | Use it when | What it does not answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form SSA-89 | Name, Date of Birth and SSN compared with SSA records, returned as a Match or No Match result, with a death indicator where SSA records show the number holder is deceased | You want an independent check of the borrower’s identifying data | While it compares the SSN, Date of Birth and Name against SSA records, it does not verify the physical identity of the borrower, and it says nothing about income |
For most files, a 1040 Return Transcript and a Wage & Income transcript together answer more than either alone. One shows what the taxpayer reported on the return; the other shows payer-reported information available in IRS records. Differences between the two can surface questions worth investigating.
Two records, one picture
Return transcript and account transcript, combined.
This is why the Record of Account exists, and why it is often the right order when a file may involve an amendment.
The pairing that answers most files
The taxpayer’s side, and the payers’ side.
1065 partnership · 1120-S S corporation · 1120 C corporation. Business return transcripts provide entity-level tax information and help the lender evaluate the business supporting the borrower’s income. They may not replace K-1s, complete returns, schedules or current financial statements where those are required — business return transcripts include most line items but exclude attached statements and documents.
IRS transcripts mask much of the taxpayer’s personally identifiable information. A customer or file reference can travel with the request, so the completed transcript can still be reconciled to the lender’s loan or order.
Then the authorization
Once you know the record, choose the path.
The right path depends on the record required, the authorization available, the lender’s own requirements and how quickly the file needs the answer.
Guides
Go deeper.
Form 4506-C Guide
What the form authorizes and the fields that cause rejections.
Learn moreForm 8821 Guide
Scope, the CAF, and why a wet ink signature returns faster.
Learn moreProcessing Center
Current turnaround conditions for every service.
Learn moreSSA Verification Guide
What Match and No Match results mean, and what they do not.
Learn moreWage & Income
W-2, 1099 and other payer-reported records available from the IRS.
Learn moreBusiness Transcripts
1065, 1120 and 1120-S records for entity income.
Learn moreReady when you are
Not sure which record fits the file?
Tell us what you are trying to verify — filed income, payer-reported income, post-filing activity, business income or SSA data — and a verification specialist can help identify the record and authorization path that fit the request.