NEW for residents of Washington and several other states:
Enhanced security is available for filing tax returns through the IRS’ Identity Protection PIN Opt-In Program.
What's an Identity Protection PIN?
The IP PIN is a six-digit number assigned to eligible taxpayers to help prevent the misuse of their Social Security number on fraudulent federal income tax returns.
An IP PIN helps the IRS verify a taxpayer’s identity and accept an electronic or paper tax return.
When you have an IP PIN, it prevents someone else from filing a tax return with your SSN.
Who's Eligible for an IP PIN?
If you are a confirmed victim of identity theft and the IRS has resolved your tax account issues, the IRS will mail you a notice or letter with your IP PIN. This process is unchanged.
New for this year:
To be eligible for the online IP PIN Opt-in Program in 2020, you must have filed a federal return last year as a resident of:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Texas
- Washington
Please note: the IRS is expanding eligibility for the IP PIN Opt-In Program. States are being added in phases until the program moves nationwide.
Learn More About the IRS IP PIN
** This information is provided for general educational purposes only. Before taking any action based on this information, we strongly encourage you to consult with a professional accounting advisor about your specific situation.