How tax preparers request a copy of last year’s tax return from clients
By Arthur Teboul, DokuTrak · Published
In short
Ask every new client for last year’s complete Form 1040 as filed, with all schedules, forms and statements, not just the two-page summary. Returning clients only need it if another preparer filed last year. You need it for carryovers, depreciation schedules and the prior-year AGI that confirms the e-file signature.
Why tax preparers need a copy of last year’s tax return
Last year’s return carries numbers this year’s return cannot rebuild: capital loss carryovers, charitable contribution carryovers, the depreciation schedule for a rental or business asset, and any state refund that may be taxable now. The prior-year AGI also matters at filing time, because the IRS uses it to validate the taxpayer’s electronic signature. For a new client, it shows how the household filed and what changed.
Client guide: where to find a copy of last year’s tax return
What exactly to ask for
The full federal return for the previous tax year as it was filed, including Schedules 1 to 3, Schedule A, C, D, E, Form 4562 and every attached statement, plus the state return. A PDF from the prior preparer or tax software is best. A draft or an unsigned copy is not enough, because the filed figures may differ.
What to check when it arrives
- It is the return as filed for the right year, not a draft, and the AGI line is readable.
- Every schedule and form listed on the return is attached, especially Form 4562 and Schedule D.
- Carryover amounts (capital loss, charitable, passive loss) are noted so they roll into this year.
Email to send your client
Replace the bracketed parts. The same text fits in the message of a DokuTrak request (up to 1,000 characters).
Subject: Last year’s tax return, the full copy
Hi [Client name],
Thank you for choosing us this year. Before I start, I need a complete copy of last year’s tax return as it was filed, federal and state, with every page and schedule attached.
If someone else prepared it, they can send you the PDF; if you used tax software, you can usually download it from your account. A two-page summary is not enough, because amounts that carry over to this year sit in the attached forms.
Could you send it by [date]? If you cannot find it, let me know and we will look at other ways to get the numbers.
Best regards, [Your name]
Ask once. DokuTrak does the chasing.
- Your client uploads from one link, with no account and no password.
- Reminders go out on a schedule, by default 2, 5, 10 and 14 days after the request, until the file arrives.
- With AI review switched on in your workspace (it is off by default), each upload gets a first pass that flags a file that is not a copy of last year’s tax return or an unreadable or blurry scan. It says so when it is not sure.
- You accept every file or mark it for re-upload, and your client gets the note by email. The AI never accepts a file.