Form 4506 / Copy of Tax Return

[Burke]

We need to get a copy of a deceased client's last year's tax return. After much effort, it appears the only way we can find out the preparer info is to request a copy of it from the IRS. We already have a transcript from the local IRS office, but it shows only limited line info and the EIN and PIN of the preparer, no name or firm. My question is, if the return was filed electronically (which we cannot tell from the transcript) will we get anything any better than the transcript we already have? I know they are not going to have the depreciation schedule worksheets, that is why we need the preparer info. And no sense paying $57 for what we already have either.

[FEDUKE404]

May be chasing your backside

We need to get a copy of a deceased client's last year's tax return. After much effort, it appears the only way we can find out the preparer info is to request a copy of it from the IRS. We already have a transcript from the local IRS office, but it shows only limited line info and the EIN and PIN of the preparer, no name or firm. My question is, if the return was filed electronically (which we cannot tell from the transcript) will we get anything any better than the transcript we already have? I know they are not going to have the depreciation schedule worksheets, that is why we need the preparer info. And no sense paying $57 for what we already have either.

If the return was efiled, you probably already have everything you can get from the IRS.

If a paper return was filed, you may not get much more and such costs $$$. I seriously doubt if depreciation histories et al were ever sent to the IRS. But you never know.....

Just curious: Did the original preparer not provide (as required!) copies of the return to the deceased???

FE

[Burke]

Last year's tax return cannot be located and we don't know who the preparer is. We found one for 2006, but it is not the same firm EIN. We think he tended to jump around from one to another. Form 4506 states we will get a copy of all pages filed plus the W-2's, 1099-R's, if attached. But, if efiled..... I don't think they have any of this. Oh, for the old days!

[FEDUKE404]

Against the wall....

Last year's tax return cannot be located and we don't know who the preparer is. We found one for 2006, but it is not the same firm EIN. We think he tended to jump around from one to another. Form 4506 states we will get a copy of all pages filed plus the W-2's, 1099-R's, if attached. But, if efiled..... I don't think they have any of this. Oh, for the old days!

Well, if efiled they MUST have entered the information from the W2s and Forms 1099, but that really does not advance your case. And don't forget if no federal W/H occurred, the 1099-R forms would (should) not have been attached in the first place....

The IRS probably has the info you need - perhaps nicely try going up their food chain for help on obtaining the preparer info?

Call the state - you might get lucky - even a telephone number on the return could help.

FE

[Burke]

Yes, I was going to try that Monday before sending in the 4506. Worth a try. I got it once before. It's not the W-2's I want. We know who he worked for and we have all the 2010 info. He had 3 rental properties and I need the depreciation worksheets. Only the preparer would have those. (And if the transcript had the preparer's phone number I wouldn't have this problem.) Transcript only shows net Sche E loss. Also, the 2009 transcript has gross and net Sche C income, but and no detail of expense info. We are in the process of getting all his business acct bank statements, but even they don't send copies of the checks anymore. Paper is going the way of dinosaurs. And that is not good. This is an estranged family situation and even the courts are having to mediate everything.

[JohnH]

If you get the bank statements you might be onto something. Try to identify checks written around the time the return was filed and maybe something will jump out as likely being a check to the preparer, based on amount. Unless the taxpayer wrote lots of checks, this might be a good approach. The check would probably be for an even amount of money (no cents) and maybe even rounded to an increment of $5. Getting copies of a few checks might be faster than getting a copy if the return. And of course, if he paid by debit card then that info might be decipherable right off the bank statement.

Anybody know his barber? He may not have been the guy's tax preparer (maybe only his tax advisor), but he may know who was. My barber knows an incredible amount of stuff about me, as I do about him.

[Burke]

Absolutely brilliant, John. Will try that approach. Let's hope he paid it out of the business account!

[Uncle Sam]

Copy of Prior Return

How can a client's representative, who has had time to review a deceased client's records/files not find out WHERE he had his tax return prepared last year?

[Burke]

It's a very long story. Just suffice it to say, the deceased's representative is being denied access to anything due to family estrangements.

[PIGLEE]

If he had rentals, there should not be much change in the Depreciation Schedule, from year to year. If the return you have has the depreciation schedule, then I would start there and work forward. You might miss some refrigerators, or major repairs, but you would at least be in the ballpark. Good luck, I know you are in the middle of a big haystack, probably with algeries to boot.