On August 20, 2026, the IRS announced in IR-2026-97 that individuals can obtain a digitally authenticated Tax Compliance Report through their IRS Individual Online Account.
The report may be used when applying for a job, loan, government benefit, or another service that requests federal tax compliance information. A receiving organization can use the PDF’s IRS-issued digital certificate to confirm that the document is authentic.
What the Report Shows
The IRS says a Tax Compliance Report provides the information needed to describe federal tax compliance without showing income, dependents, or filing status. It can include:
- A status of compliant, noncompliant, or compliance issue
- Tax filing history
- Federal taxes owed, or a statement that none are due
- Certain late payments, late returns, unfiled returns, and specified penalties
The status reflects IRS account data as of the report date. The IRS notes that recent payments may take about two weeks to post and recently filed returns may take about four to six weeks to appear.
How Digital Authentication Works
Each authenticated report includes an IRS-issued digital certificate and verification features embedded in the downloadable PDF. To preserve those features, the IRS instructs taxpayers to share the original downloaded PDF rather than a screenshot, scanned copy, or a new file created with “Print to PDF.”
Some browsers and mobile PDF viewers may not display the certificate details. The IRS recommends saving the original PDF and opening it with Adobe Reader on a desktop computer to view the authentication information.
How to Download the Report
For an individual report, sign in to an IRS Individual Online Account, open the Records and status tab, select Tax records, and choose the Tax Compliance Report option.
The IRS also provides tax compliance reports for businesses through Business Tax Account. However, the agency’s current guidance says digital authentication is available only for reports downloaded through Individual Online Account.
Why It Matters for Sole Proprietors
The individual report, Letter 6201, is available to individuals and sole proprietors. If a sole proprietor is required to file employment or excise tax returns, the report may identify delinquent returns of those types; it does not show corporate or partnership tax information.
The report is a summary of IRS compliance data, not a substitute for reviewing tax account records or correcting an overdue return, unpaid balance, or posting delay. Taxpayers should review the current IRS instructions and address any issue through the appropriate IRS process.
Simple-C helps Schedule C filers keep income and expenses organized — supporting cleaner business records when filing obligations and account information are reviewed.
This article provides general information, not tax or legal advice. Report availability, content, and IRS account procedures can change. Confirm current details on IRS.gov.