How to Get a Copy of Last Year's Tax Return From H&R Block

Whether you're applying for some type of loan or just need a copy of your last year's tax return for your records, H&R Block allows you to access your last six years of returns that you've filed at their tax offices or through their website or mobile app. You can often simply log in to the H&R Block website to view and print last year's return, although you'll need to do some extra work if you had used H&R Block software installed on your computer. The Internal Revenue Service also offers some options if you can't get the return from H&R Block.

If you filed your taxes yourself on the H&R Block website or signed up for their virtual tax prep service, then you already have the MyBlock account you need to access prior tax records. But if you had a tax professional do your taxes in an H&R Block office, you'll need to first sign up for a MyBlock account and verify your identity before you can access your prior H&R Block tax records.

Visit the H&R Block website and click the menu icon that looks like a person, since this will show an option to either log in or create an account. Choose the "Create an Account" option and follow the screens to set up your login information, choose three security questions and verify your email address. You can then log in and click the "Confirm My Identity" option, where you'll enter your name, birthday and Social Security number.

Once you've finished the account setup, you'll have access to your H&R Block tax records online.

Once you've logged in to your MyBlock account, look for the "Taxes" menu and select the "Tax History" option. You can use the drop-down menu on top to select the tax year for which you need to find the H&R block copy of the tax return. Selecting the year will display your filing information and tax documents.

If you had used the free online version of the service, look for a prompt to pay a fee to upgrade and have last year's tax return made available. Otherwise, you can simply locate the tax return documents beside the "My Tax Return Documents" option. You'll find an option to open the return so that you can save it to your computer or print it as needed. You'll also be able to customize which documents to print.

If you purchased the H&R Block software to install on your computer, H&R Block warns you'll need to download that year's version of the program from their website to proceed. You'll also still need to have last year's tax data on your computer. So if you had deleted the data when you uninstalled H&R Block's software or you switched computers, you may not be able to get your old return this way. However, you could try searching your computer to see if you still have the PDF copy from when you had filed your taxes.

After you install the correct year's version of H&R Block's tax software, look for an "Open Return" option on the "My Taxes" screen. You should see options on top of the screen to open, save or print the tax return. If you choose to print it, you'll have options to print all forms, all forms plus worksheets or only selected forms. To prevent issues in the future, you can consider saving a copy to your hard drive as well.

If you can't access your H&R Block tax records for some reason, you can fill out IRS Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return, and pay a fee to have the IRS send you a photocopy of your federal tax return. This method will let you get a past return as far back as six years ago. The downside is that you may have wait as long as 75 days to have the IRS mail you the documents, and this can be a problem if you need them quickly for an application you're filling out.

If you only need to know specific information from your last tax return and don't need the actual document, then requesting an IRS tax transcript can be a free and quick alternative. The IRS makes transcripts available for the last three tax years, and you can get yours as soon as five to 10 days from when you order.

You have a few transcript options that may work for you. If you need your adjusted gross income, taxable income and other basic items from your tax return, you can request a tax account transcript. You can also request a tax return transcript that has much of the information from your tax return and related forms but doesn't account for any changes made after the original filing date. Credit Karma notes that banks and other organizations will often accept tax transcripts as part of their verification process, so check to find out which they prefer.

Visiting the IRS Get Transcript page is the easiest way to get a tax transcript free. You can opt for a paper copy or an electronic version.

Look for the "Get Transcript Online" button and follow the steps to enter your personal information and confirm your identity, including entering a personal account number and mobile number. You'll also choose the transcript type and tax year. At the end of the process, you'll get confirmation the IRS received your request, and you'll be able to view the transcript online within five to 10 days.

If you want a transcript physically mailed to you for free, you can simply select the "Get Transcript by Mail" option on the IRS Get Transcript page. You'll enter similar information but won't need to enter a phone number or personal account number. The IRS will mail the transcript so that you receive it in around the same time frame as the electronic version.

To get a photocopy of your federal tax return, download and print Form 4506 from the IRS website. Fill in the information requested about yourself and the tax return year requested and then sign the form.

You'll need to include a money order or check for $50. However, there's an exception if you're eligible for a fee waiver for disaster assistance and emergency relief. The IRS notes that you'll need to use the memo or note field to write "Form 4506 request" along with your Social Security number or tax ID.

The second page of Form 4506 will list IRS offices sorted by location. Find your local office's address and mail the form and payment to that location. The IRS will mail the photocopied tax return within 75 days.

If you need a copy of last year's state tax return, check with your state's tax or finance department website. You can often create an account to view old tax returns online. In other cases, your state will have a tax form for your to submit to request the tax return, and you may have to pay a fee for this service.