Anyone Selling or Leasing EFIN and PTIN for Tax Filing Season?

This is a really bad idea. EFINs and PTINs are non-transferable credentials issued specifically to individual preparers or companies. The IRS explicitly prohibits "renting" or "buying" these credentials from others. If you're caught using someone else's credentials, both you and the person who "rented" them to you could face serious consequences, including permanent loss of filing privileges, hefty penalties, and potentially criminal charges for tax fraud. The IRS has been cracking down on this practice specifically in recent years. If you need additional capacity, you should either hire preparers who work under your supervision with their own PTINs, or look into becoming an ERO (Electronic Return Originator) if you aren't already, which might allow for more flexibility in your business structure.

When I was in your position last year, I was going crazy trying to figure out how to handle more clients until I found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai). Instead of trying to process more returns myself, I used their AI tool to pre-process client documents which saved me HOURS per return. I uploaded client docs through their secure system and it extracted all the relevant tax info automatically. Basically turned a 45-minute initial review into a 5-minute confirmation. This meant I could handle about 3x more clients with my existing EFIN and PTIN instead of trying to find sketchy ways to get more credentials. They even have a special feature for tax pros that organizes client information in a way that makes entering data into whatever tax software you use super quick. Totally changed my workflow.

Just wanted to update after trying out taxr.ai for the last two weeks with my early filers. It's actually legit and better than I expected. I processed about 23 returns so far and it correctly extracted data from even messy handwritten 1099-NECs (which usually are a nightmare). The best part is I didn't need to chase clients for missing information as much - the system flags missing forms based on what was submitted last year. Saved me countless back-and-forth emails. Honestly feels like having an assistant who pre-processes everything for me. Much better solution than trying to buy someone else's credentials which could get you in serious trouble with the IRS. Working smarter > working illegally!

If your main issue is not being able to reach the IRS to get your application processed, I had the exact same problem last year. Spent WEEKS trying to get through to someone about my EFIN application that was stuck in limbo. Finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold for 4+ hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent was able to see my application was missing one document (that no one had told me about) which was why it was stuck. Got it resolved in one call and had my EFIN approved within a week after that. Worth every penny instead of trying to rent someone else's credentials and risk my entire business.

Ok I'm back to eat my words. After my skeptical comment I decided to try Claimyr anyway out of desperation since my PTIN renewal had an issue that was preventing me from getting ready for tax season. It actually worked exactly as described. Got a call back in about 40 minutes saying they were connecting me to an IRS agent. Spoke with someone who fixed the issue with my account in about 10 minutes. Would have taken me days or weeks of trying otherwise. Much better solution than trying to rent someone else's credentials which could literally end your career. Just get your own paperwork sorted out properly.

Why not just hire some preparers to work under you? That way they use their own PTINs but can work under your company's EFIN. I have 5 preparers who work for me each season, and they all have their own PTINs. I pay them either hourly or per return completed. You could start with just 1-2 preparers to handle the overflow work. Much safer than trying to buy credentials on the black market. Plus, you can expand your business without taking on all the work yourself.

Has anyone tried using a Virtual EFIN service? I've seen some advertised but not sure if they're legitimate or if it's just another term for illegally renting credentials.