Since your IP PIN is a preventative measure against the misuse of your identity, you better bet the application is thorough. Getting an IP PIN is simple, but make sure you have proof of identity before you apply. A thief with your SSN can file a return with your information, and the fallout can be just as dire. Not required to file? An IP PIN is still a great tool to protect yourself. Having an IP PIN can protect you even if you don’t have to file a tax return.

Though an IP PIN won’t prevent your SSN from being stolen, it’s built to prevent impostors from using your SSN to file a tax return with your information. Now, the program is available to anyone who can prove their identity to the IRS. IP PINs are nothing new-originally, they were only available to victims of identity theft as an added layer of protection. It’s only good for one year, and to receive one, you have to pass the IRS’s robust authentication process. Enter the Identity Protection PIN, a magic number only you and the IRS know.Īn Identity Protection Personal Information Number (IP PIN) is a 6-digit number known only to you and the IRS. What can we do to reduce that number? One significant way is to fight fraudulent tax returns, and the IRS has expanded a long-standing identity protection strategy to do exactly that. Instead of addressing infrastructure, school, and other needs, those billions went straight to the pockets of people via tax refunds that they didn’t qualify for. This IRS Tool Could Save Billions via Tax Fraud PreventionĢ2.8 billion dollars-that’s how much was lost to tax fraud and other improper refund payments in 2020, according to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.

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