Prior-Year Return Review for Travel Nurses
A prior-year return review examines a specific past tax year — your filed federal and state returns, W-2s, assignment history, and stipend reporting — to assess accuracy and identify issues before they become notices or compound into later years. Travel nurses request prior-year reviews for many reasons: they switched preparers, they filed themselves with generic software, they forgot a state, or they simply want confidence before accepting a new contract pattern.
Prior-year review differs from amendment review in emphasis: review can be exploratory and educational, ending with a decision whether to amend, file missing states, or confirm no changes are needed. Amendment review often begins when you already suspect a correction is required. Both services overlap in document collection and analysis; we recommend the label that fits your mindset when you contact us.
Why past years still matter
States and the IRS can look back multiple years depending on the issue. Unfiled state returns do not disappear because the assignment ended. Stipend reporting questions can surface when you change agencies and compare old and new W-2 formats side by side. Reviewing prior years before a major life change — buying a home, reducing travel, or moving your tax home — gives you a clean baseline.
What we look for
We compare each W-2 to reported income on federal and state returns. We map assignment dates to states and ask whether a return existed for each jurisdiction with wages. We review stipend amounts against tax home facts for that year — understanding that conclusions may differ from how you think about your situation today if your assignment pattern has since changed.
We also note carryforward items: capital losses, net operating losses, unused credits, and retirement contributions that affect future years. Travel nurses sometimes miss these when rushing through software without reviewing the full PDF package.
Outcomes of a prior-year review
Possible outcomes include confirmation that your prior filing was reasonable, identification of a missing state return worth filing late, recommendation to amend federal or state returns, or guidance to respond to an existing notice tied to that year. We explain each finding with estimated impact where possible so you can prioritize.
Getting started
Gather the federal return and all state returns for the year under review, every W-2 and 1099, assignment contracts or a written timeline, and any notices already received for that year. If you are missing documents, we can advise on how to obtain duplicates from agencies or transcript requests from revenue departments.
Contact RN Tax Lab to request a prior-year return review. Include the tax year and a brief note about what prompted your question — we will respond with next steps and a document checklist tailored to your situation.
Multiple years at once
Some nurses review two or three prior years together after a long period of self-filing or using non-specialist preparers. We can prioritize the year with the highest notice risk or the most states worked, then address additional years in order of impact. Sequential review often reveals patterns — the same missed state appearing on multiple years, for example — that inform a cleaner strategy going forward.
Prior-year review is especially valuable before you make big career changes — leaving travel for a staff job, moving your tax home, or marrying someone with separate state income. Starting from verified prior years makes the transition year easier to file correctly the first time.
Transcripts and missing forms
If you lost a W-2 or cannot find a state return you filed years ago, we guide you through wage transcripts and account records from the IRS and state revenue departments. Reconstructing a prior year takes longer than reviewing organized files, but it is often still worthwhile when a notice or career change makes that year relevant again.
Bring whatever you have — even partial records are enough to start. We will tell you exactly what is missing and how to obtain it before we draw conclusions about that tax year.
How we help
Personalized review of your assignment history
Clear explanation of your tax situation
Education-first approach — no one-size-fits-all answers