To help protect taxpayers from identity theft, the IRS masks certain personal information on most tax transcripts. This security measure has been in place since September 2018 and is designed to reduce the risk of sensitive information falling into the wrong hands while still providing the details needed for tax preparation, income verification, and other common uses.
When you request an IRS transcript, you may notice that some personal details are partially hidden. The IRS typically displays only:
- The last four digits of any Social Security number (SSN)
- The last four digits of any Employer Identification Number (EIN)
- The last four digits of account or telephone numbers
- The first four characters of an individual's first and last name
- The first four characters of a business name
- The first six characters of a street address, including spaces
Unlike some older transcript formats, financial information remains visible on most transcripts so taxpayers, lenders, and tax professionals can still use them for tax and income verification purposes.
Due to the Social Security Number no longer being visible, the IRS has created an entry for a Customer File Number. This is an optional entry that can be used by third parties to match a transcript to a taxpayer. The Customer File Number will be located on line 5b of the Transcript Request Form.
To use the Customer File Number, the third party (usually a bank or other institution) will assign you a 10 digit number. When the transcript request is sent to the IRS, include the 10 digit number on line 5b. When the requester receives the transcript, they can use the 10 digit code to match the transcript to the individual.
For more information, please visit the IRS website.