Email template
Prior year tax return request email
A prior year return is the starting point for a new engagement, a cleanup or an amended return. Clients often send only the Form 1040 and leave out the schedules, the state return and the K-1s. This email asks for the complete package and explains how to get a transcript when the return is missing.
When to use it
Send this during onboarding, a bookkeeping cleanup, a tax planning engagement or when the firm is preparing an amended return.
Prior year tax returns for {{client_name}}
Hi {{client_name}},
To start the {{service_name}}, we need the complete prior year tax returns for {{tax_year}}. Please upload them here: {{checklist_link}}
Please include the federal return and every state or local return, with all schedules, statements and K-1s. If the return was amended, include the amended return and the original.
If you do not have a copy, you can get a transcript from your IRS online account. Tell us which years are missing and we will help you request them.
Please send everything by {{due_date}}. If a year does not apply, say so in the note so we can mark it as checked.
Thank you, {{firm_name}}
Replace the placeholders in braces with the client's details. Keep the client's tax ID or account number out of the email.
Notes before you send
- Ask for all schedules, not only the first two pages.
- Ask for the state return separately. It is the document clients forget most often.
- If the client changed their name or entity, ask for the document that shows the change.
- Do not ask the client to type a Social Security number in the email. The return itself is the record.
- If the client uses a preparer who is closing, ask for the preparer's complete file, not only the filed return.
Questions about this template
Why does the firm need the complete return?
The schedules show the income, deductions, credits and carryovers that affect the next year. A return without its schedules can leave out a carryforward or a basis detail the new preparer needs.
What if the client cannot find the return?
The client can request a transcript from the IRS online account or by mail. A transcript shows the reported amounts, but it may not include every state return or the preparer's workpapers.
Does the firm need the state return too?
Yes, when the client files in a state. The state return can show state credits, carryovers and residency details that the federal return does not.