IRS Form 1722: What It Is and How to Get a Transcript

IRS Form 1722 is not actually a form. It is Letter 1722, an IRS-generated document that summarizes what you reported on a previously filed return, and the IRS has largely replaced it with the modern tax return transcript. If a lender, school, or agency has asked you for a “1722 letter” or “Form 1722,” what they need is a tax return transcript, which you can get for free through your IRS online account, by phone, or by mailing Form 4506-T.1Internal Revenue Service. Get Your Tax Records and Transcripts

Where the 1722 Name Comes From

Letter 1722(IO) is classified in the Internal Revenue Manual as a “replacement transcript” used to fulfill requests for tax return, account, and record of account transcripts.2Internal Revenue Service. Internal Revenue Manual 21.2.3.5.7 – Letter 1722(IO) as a Substitute Transcript The 1722 designation is an internal IRS letter number, not a fillable form like a 1040 or W-2. That is why you cannot find it in the IRS forms catalog no matter how hard you look.

The letter contained line items from your return such as adjusted gross income, filing status, and tax paid. Federal Student Aid guidance has historically listed IRS Letter 1722 as an acceptable document for verifying AGI and U.S. income tax paid when a filer no longer has a copy of the original return.3Federal Student Aid. Verifying AGI and U.S. Income Tax Paid Those same figures now come out of the transcript system, and the purpose is unchanged: giving a third party verified numbers straight from the IRS.

Which Transcript Replaces Letter 1722

For nearly everyone asked to produce a 1722 letter, the right document today is the tax return transcript. It shows most line items from your original return as filed, along with any attached forms and schedules, and it is available for the current tax year and the three prior years.4Internal Revenue Service. Transcript Types for Individuals and Ways to Order Them

If the party asking also needs to see amendments, later payments, or penalties applied after you filed, ask for a record of account transcript instead. It combines the return transcript with the tax account transcript in one document, and it covers the same four-year window.4Internal Revenue Service. Transcript Types for Individuals and Ways to Order Them All transcript types are free.

Getting It Online in Minutes

The fastest route is your IRS Individual Online Account. Once signed in, you can view, print, or download transcripts immediately.1Internal Revenue Service. Get Your Tax Records and Transcripts

First-time users have to verify identity through ID.me, which requires a government-issued photo ID and either a selfie or a short video call. If you have already set up your IRS account, sign in directly, pick the transcript type and tax year, and download the file. That is the whole process.

Getting It by Phone or Mail

If the online route is not an option, call the IRS automated transcript line at 800-908-9946 and request a transcript mailed to the address the IRS already has on file for you. It arrives in 5 to 10 calendar days.1Internal Revenue Service. Get Your Tax Records and Transcripts

The paper route is Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return. It covers every transcript type and reaches further back than the online or phone systems in some cases. A shorter version, Form 4506-T-EZ, works if you only need a tax return transcript.5Internal Revenue Service. Request for Transcript of Tax Return – Form 4506-T

A few points on Form 4506-T that trip people up:

  • Enter only one tax form number (1040, 1065, 1120, and so on) per request. Separate 4506-T for each form type.
  • Enter the tax year end date in mm/dd/yyyy format on line 9.
  • Check the authorization box in the signature area. The IRS rejects unchecked forms.
  • The IRS must receive the form within 120 days of the signature date.
  • Mail or fax to the processing center listed for your state on the form’s instructions. Sending it to the wrong center delays everything.

How Long the Wait Is

Timing depends on how you filed and how you are requesting. If you e-filed and the return showed a refund or no balance due, a transcript is generally available 2 to 3 weeks after submission. Paper filers should wait 6 to 8 weeks.6Internal Revenue Service. Transcript Availability If you had a balance due that you paid after filing, allow 3 to 4 weeks after full payment before the transcript reflects the right figures.

Once the return is processed, the online system delivers in minutes. Phone and mail requests still take 5 to 10 calendar days. If you already know a lender or financial aid office will need this document, order it as soon as your return has posted rather than the week they ask.

What a Transcript Will Not Show

A transcript is not a photocopy of your return. It presents your data in a standardized IRS layout, without attachments in their original form or any handwritten notes. For nearly every lender, school, and government purpose that used to accept Letter 1722, that is exactly what they want.

If you specifically need an actual copy of the filed return with all attachments, that is a different request: Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return, which carries a $43 fee per return and takes considerably longer. Those situations are rare, usually tied to legal proceedings or disputes over what was physically submitted.