PREP STEPS FOR LOST DOCUMENTS
- Gather your tax return, if it's been filed.
- Gather any IRS notices to you.
- Collect the current names, addresses and phone numbers for persons with knowledge of your case.
- Contact Mr. Hopkins in Colorado Springs, Pueblo or Denver to set a Consultation.
- Again, don't worry if you can't get everything, bring in what documents you have and we'll take care of the rest. See you there!
Lost Taxpayer Documents:
Being unable to find documents is a very common problem and is the most usual reason for losing a case with the IRS. However, most of your documents can be re-created or discovered from many sources: government, banks, employers, tax records, court records etc. It does not help your case to simply tell the IRS agent your story. Therefore, you have to back it up with other evidence, no matter how trivial.
For income information, you should call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and request your "Wage & Income Transcripts" for every year at issue. Also, you may have to refer to your bank statements for other income.
For deduction information, you will have to start with your bank statements & credit card statements for evidence of payments. Furthermore, you may have to go back to your supplier for billing statements.
The tax attorney is trained at finding evidence to substantiate your story and has the resources to discover what you need. Therefore, don't worry too much if you don't have all the evidence for everything. Our tax lawyer will find what exists and piece together the documents with your story to make the best case possible.
Lost Tax Returns:
If you can't find your tax returns, you can pay for a copy by using Form 4506. However, you can order a copy of your transcripts of return by calling 1-800-829-1040. Of course, you won't receive the actual return - just a line-by-line breakdown of each item.
Lost IRS Documents:
Sometimes people lose the documents the IRS has sent them. Therefore, if a local agent is involved, just call them and they will send you a new one. Without the name of the IRS agent you will have to ask the desk to look up the agent assigned to your social security number. If the lost document was from the IRS service center, it will be discoverable through the TaxHelpLaw attorney channels.
When the IRS Loses your Documents
Sadly, when the IRS loses your documents you often have no choice but to reconstruct, recreate or get other copies. In general, you should never give the IRS originals of your documents in an Audit, Appeals or Collections. However, when the IRS loses an original return you have filed with them they might send you Letter 418C telling you that they lost the return & requesting that you submit a new one. More than likely they will do nothing until you raise the issue, either through requests for information or with a formal Freedom of Information Act Request. Despite the rule that "timely mailing is timely filing", if the IRS claims that they do not have documents that you sent them then you must have proof of service with Certified or Overnight Mail or a Court cannot enforce the "mailbox rule" against the government.
