There are many reasons why the IRS would assign you an identity protection personal identification number, also known as the IP PIN, to be used when filing your taxes. If you have ever been involved in an identity theft situation, then you will get IRS form CP01A prior to filing your taxes with your PIN on it.
While most people try very hard to keep all of their IRS paperwork, it is not unusual for a taxpayer to lose their PIN number. If you do lose your PIN or you didn’t know you had one and you need to find it, then the IRS gives you a few ways you can retrieve that number to file your taxes.
How Do You Get A PIN?
The only way a taxpayer can get a PIN is to either be part of the pilot program for IP PINs that was run by the IRS, or be assigned one by the IRS. The only instance where a PIN can be requested is if you were not able to file your federal return online. As of March 2018, the IP PIN is not something any taxpayer can request for added security.
Use The Get An IP PIN Tool
The Get An IP PIN tool is available on the IRS website at www.IRS.gov. This is a comprehensive tool that will help you to get a PIN, and help you find a PIN if you have lost it. If you had to get an IP PIN because of online filing problems or you were assigned a PIN, then you can also retrieve that information through the Get An IP PIN tool as well. This is a very comprehensive and user friendly tool that will guide you through every step of recovering or creating the PIN number you will need to file your taxes.
What If You Cannot Retrieve Your Existing PIN?
It can happen that the Get An IP PIN tool is unable to get you your PIN, but you should not panic. If the IRS website cannot find your PIN, then you can call the IRS to get a new PIN issued. You can call 800-908-4490 Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in your own time zone to get a new number issued.
You would normally get a new PIN within three weeks, but sometimes it is not possible to get you a new PIN. If you have changed primary addresses during the year or you have not filed your current or past year’s return by October 14th, then you will not get a new PIN. In that case, you will have to file a paper return that will have to be closely reviewed to verify your personal data.
If you have been issued a PIN, then you must use that PIN to file your federal tax return. If you try to file your return without the PIN, then your return will be rejected and you will have to re-file using a paper tax form. When you have an PIN and you file using a paper tax form, your refund will be delayed because of the extra time it will take to review your personal information.
Jim Treebold is a North Carolina based writer. He lives by the mantra of “Learn 1 new thing each day”! Jim loves to write, read, pedal around on his electric bike and dream of big things. Drop him a line if you like his writing, he loves hearing from his readers!