Your adjusted gross income from last year sits on line 11 of the Form 1040 you filed. If you can’t put your hands on that return, you can pull the number from your IRS online account or a free IRS transcript in a few minutes. And if none of that works before a filing deadline, there are three ways to get a return accepted without it. Here is how to find last year’s AGI, and what to do when you simply can’t.
Check Line 11 of Last Year’s Return First
Your AGI appears on line 11 of Form 1040 and Form 1040-SR.1Internal Revenue Service. Adjusted Gross Income That’s the whole lookup if you kept a copy, paper or PDF.
If you used tax software last year, sign back into the same account. Most programs store prior returns and will pull the AGI into this year’s return automatically when you start the new one with the same service.
Pull It From Your IRS Online Account
The IRS Individual Online Account shows your key return data, including AGI, once you verify your identity. Create or sign in at IRS.gov and the number is on screen.2Internal Revenue Service. Online Account for Individuals This is the fastest option when the return itself is gone.
Request a Free IRS Transcript
Two free transcript types carry your AGI. A tax return transcript shows most line items from your original return as filed and covers the current year and three prior years. A tax account transcript shows filing status, taxable income, and any post-filing changes, and goes back up to nine years through your online account.3Internal Revenue Service. Transcript Types for Individuals and Ways to Order Them
You can view, download, or print either one instantly from your IRS online account. If you can’t register online, order by mail or call 800-908-9946. Mailed transcripts arrive in 5 to 10 calendar days.3Internal Revenue Service. Transcript Types for Individuals and Ways to Order Them
Timing matters right after you file. Transcript data takes two to three weeks to appear for e-filed returns, and six to eight weeks for paper returns.4Internal Revenue Service. Transcript Availability If you filed last year’s return recently and need the AGI now, the transcript may not help yet.
When to Enter $0 Instead
The IRS uses your prior-year AGI to verify identity when you e-file. If the number doesn’t match, the return is rejected.5Internal Revenue Service. Validating Your Electronically Filed Tax Return In two situations the IRS tells you to enter $0:
- You didn’t file a federal return last year.
- You filed, but the IRS hasn’t finished processing that return.
Entering $0 isn’t a workaround. There is no AGI on file to match against, so zero is the correct answer.5Internal Revenue Service. Validating Your Electronically Filed Tax Return
Use an IP PIN In Place of AGI
An Identity Protection PIN is a six-digit number the IRS assigns for identity verification. If you have one, it replaces the AGI check when you e-file.6Internal Revenue Service. Get an Identity Protection PIN You don’t need to be an identity theft victim to request one; any taxpayer can enroll through the IRS online account. The IRS issues a new IP PIN each year, and once you have it, you must include it on every return you file that calendar year.7Internal Revenue Service. Frequently Asked Questions About the Identity Protection Personal Identification Number
If your AGI keeps triggering rejections and you can’t figure out why, an IP PIN is the cleanest fix. It removes the AGI guessing game entirely.
File on Paper as a Last Resort
Paper returns don’t go through the e-file identity check, so a mailed return will be accepted without any prior-year AGI. The cost is slower processing and a longer wait for any refund, but the return gets through.
Why the “Right” AGI Still Gets Rejected
A rejection means the number you entered didn’t match IRS records. You can correct it and resubmit, or submit with a valid IP PIN.8Internal Revenue Service. IND-031-04 A rejection is not an audit or a penalty; it just blocks the submission until identity is verified.
The most common cause of a mismatch is using the AGI from an amended return. The IRS matches against the original filing, so try that number first if you amended last year.
Joint Filers
Spouses who filed jointly last year share one AGI. If you’re now filing separately, each spouse enters that same joint AGI for validation, regardless of who earned the income. This surprises people when one spouse had no earnings of their own.
Filing Status Changed
If your status changed between last year and this year, use whatever AGI appeared on the return you actually filed. The IRS is matching against what’s in its system, not your current circumstances.
Someone Else Filed Under Your SSN
If a fraudulent return was filed with your Social Security number, your e-file will likely be rejected because a return is already on file. The IRS recommends filing a paper return and attaching Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit.9Internal Revenue Service. How IRS ID Theft Victim Assistance Works One exception: if you received Letter 5071C, 4883C, or 5747C from the IRS Taxpayer Protection Program, follow the verification steps in that letter and don’t file Form 14039.