Video: What is My Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)?
What is my adjusted gross income, and why do I need it to e-file?
When you e-file, the IRS needs to make sure you’re the person filing the return. If you e-file with tax software, like TurboTax, the IRS requires you to enter your 2008 Adjusted Gross Income (or AGI) to verify your identity. That’s right, we mean 2008. Your AGI is a number from your last year’s return and only you and the government know what it is.
The easiest way to get your AGI is to find a copy of last year’s return. If you filed Form 1040, it’s on line 37. If you filed Form 1040A, it’s on line 21. And if you filed Form 1040EZ, it’s on line 4. And yes, we will repeat that.
Don’t worry about remembering this right now; we will show you where to enter this in TurboTax.
If you don’t have your AGI, you can call the IRS and they’ll give you the number over the phone. And this year, the IRS has a new online tool that can help you get an alternate number to e-file with if you can’t get your AGI. Please see the IRS website for more information.
Remember, everyone who e-files need to verify their identity with their AGI. Next year TurboTax will automatically transfer the right number from last year, so e-filing will be easier than ever.
