About the New Tax Transcript and the Customer File Number
A new transcript format is now in place to better protect your information from identity theft. This new transcript partially masks the personally identifiable information of everyone listed on the tax return. All financial entries will remain fully visible to assist with tax preparation, tax representation and income verification.
The IRS is taking this action to better protect taxpayer data. Because of data thefts outside the tax system, cybercriminals often attempt to impersonate taxpayers and tax professionals. Thieves attempt to gain access to transcript data, which can help them file fraudulent tax returns or steal additional data of other individuals listed on the transcript.
Here’s what is visible on the transcript:
Last four digits of any SSN listed on the transcript: XXX-XX-1234
Last four digits of any EIN listed on the transcript: XX-XXX1234
Last four digits of any account or telephone number
First four characters of the last name for any individual (first three characters if the last name has only four letters)
First four characters of a business name
First six characters of the street address, including spaces
All money amounts, including wage and income, balance due, interest and penalties
See New Release IR-2018-171, Fact Sheet FS-2018-16 and a sample of a redacted tax transcript.
Customer File Number and Form 4506-T
Because the full Social Security number no longer is visible, the IRS has created an entry for a Customer File Number. This is an optional 10-digit number that can be created usually by third-parties that allow them to match a transcript to a taxpayer. The Customer File Number field will appear on the transcript when that number is entered on Line 5b of Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return and Form 4506T-EZ.
Here’s how of how it would work for a taxpayer seeking to verify income for a lender: The lender will assign a 10-digit number, for example, a loan number, to the Form 4506-T. The Form 4506-T may be signed and submitted by the taxpayer or signed by the taxpayer and submitted by the lender. The Customer File Number assigned by the requestor on the Form 4506-T will populate on the transcript. The requestor may assign any number except the taxpayer’s Social Security number. Once received by the requester, the transcript’s Customer File Number serves as the tracking number to match it to the taxpayer.
Get Transcript (Taxpayers) and the Customer File Number
Only individual taxpayers may use Get Transcript Online or Get Transcript by Mail. Many taxpayers use this service to satisfy requests for income verification. The Customer File Number will be available for Get Transcript users in mid-January. Taxpayers can manually enter a Customer File Number assigned to them, for example, by a lender or college financial office. That Customer File Number will display on the transcript either when it is downloaded or when it is mailed to the taxpayer.
Transcript Delivery System (Tax Professionals) and the Customer File Number
The Transcript Delivery System is for use only by tax professionals with proper authorization to access taxpayer transcripts. Tax Professionals authorized to access transcripts can enter a 10-digit Customer File Number that automatically will populate on the transcript provided through TDS. This process allows high-volume users to match the transcript to the taxpayer.
Tax Return Preparation and Tax Representation
If you are a taxpayer seeking to file a current or prior year tax return or a tax professional preparing a current or prior year return for a client, please remember that all financial entries on the transcript are fully visible. If you are seeking Form W-2 or Form 1099 information, there is a process for those missing documents. Users may access the Wage and Income Transcript available through both Get Transcript for individual taxpayers and the Transcript Delivery System for tax professionals. Financial entries are not redacted. See Fact Sheet 2018-16 for options on filing prior year returns with a redacted transcript.
If an unmasked Wage & Income transcript is necessary for tax return preparation, a taxpayer or the authorized representative may call the IRS and request an unredacted transcript. Once authentication is passed, the unmasked Wage & Income transcript will be mailed to the taxpayer address of record.
