I need signature pages for 2014 and 2015 in order to buy a new home.

[pat03438]

I have all of the tax forms except for signature page. The lender will not accept e-signature... they want our actual signatures.

[DoninGA · Accepted solution]

Electronically filed tax returns do not have a signature.  If the lender insists to have a signed tax return, then make a copy of the tax returns and sign the copy on page 2 of Forms 1040 or 1040A where it says Sign Here

[LL925]

The lender is asking for the last two years tax returns to be signed and dated.  Do we date the returns the original date we filed them or do we date them the current date (the actual date we are signing the copies for their utilization)?

[DoninGA]

Use the date the tax return was actually filed.  Although either date would be fine.

[BMcCalpin]

This demand for a signed tax return is puzzling - lenders surely know that most tax returns are e-filed now so aren't signed. Besides, the lender wants to see the tax return that you actually filed, not one you made up and signed.

The way this is normally done is that you file form 4506 and request that a copy of your tax return be sent directly to your lender (so you have no opportunity to fudge the tax return). See the explicit instructions at https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-4506.

Note that the process above is for an exact copy of your tax return (and will cost you $50). In the past, lenders were often satisfied with your tax return transcript, which was a line item listing of most of the numbers on your tax return, without all the lines, boxes, and shading. The benefit of requesting a transcript is that it is free.

Please ask your lender if they are aware of the following:

"What’s New. As part of its ongoing efforts to protect taxpayer data, the Internal Revenue Service announced that in July 2019, it will stop all third-party mailings of requested transcripts. After this date masked Tax Transcripts will only be mailed to the taxpayer’s address of record.

If a third-party is unable to accept a Tax Transcript mailed to the taxpayer, they may either contract with an existing IVES participant or become an IVES participant themselves. For additional information about the IVES program, go to www.irs.gov and search IVES."

Go to https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506t.pdf to see the full instructions.