Tax records are something that everyone who has some kind of income in the United States must keep. Your tax returns are submitted yearly, and everyone pays federal taxes, with many of us also paying state income taxes. When dealing with your tax records, you may be wondering if the records you submit to different agencies are actually public records. Our article answers your questions about tax records and how public these documents might be.
What Information Is Kept on Tax Records?
Tax records contain some of our most sensitive information, as there are many details required on a tax form to help the federal and state governments identify taxpayers and ensure that taxes are collected properly. In general, your tax records will contain information such as your full name, your address, your email address or phone number, and your Social Security Number (SSN).
Your SSN is particularly risky to lose, as this number is connected to many different government services and identity verification requirements. If someone with malicious intent gets ahold of your SSN, you are at risk of falling victim to identity theft and financial theft.
Additionally, your tax records will contain details about your income, your deductibles, and other expenses or losses. This information is generally not something that many of us will want to share with others or with random members of the public.
Tax records are not public, as these documents contain too much sensitive information about individuals. Your tax returns should be kept private, and you should always be careful about where you store your tax information.
You cannot find details about someone’s tax records online, and you cannot search any type of database that shows you tax records belonging to the public; websites or apps that offer this service are generally trying to scam you out of your information by preying on your curiosity.
When accessing the IRS website or your state’s government tax website, you can only view your own tax records or the tax records of someone you are related to. For example, if you are next of kin to a family member who has passed away, you may be granted permission to view and access their tax records in order to handle their affairs.
Can I Use the Freedom of Information Act on Tax Records?
You cannot use the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) on tax records. Most states will prevent you from filing a FOIA request for tax records that belong to general members of the public; this is considered a security and privacy risk in the majority of states.
That being said, you might be able to submit a FOIA request for some types of businesses, or you might be able to request tax records from major public figures in certain situations. Typically, only journalists or those in a similar position might have a FOIA request for these records approved.
Who’s Tax Records Can I See?
In some cases, you can see the tax records of certain historical and political figures. Political figures, especially, will release their tax records with sensitive information like contact details and redacted Social Security Numbers so that members of the public can review them and use this information to make voting decisions.
If you are interested in the tax records of Presidents and certain political candidates, you can research and review the publicly released tax records of certain individuals.
Are Tax Records Public: Keep Yours Private
Tax records include incredibly sensitive information, and it’s essential that you keep your tax documents safe from prying eyes. When submitting your tax documents to the IRS or state government, make sure that you are doing so securely and only through official websites or a verified CPA. If you have any concerns about your tax record privacy, take the time to lock your credit reports and investigate whether or not any of your details have leaked online with a public records’ search engine.
