How to put an identity protection PIN on child's SSN for security?
I want to protect my kids SSN from identity theft and heard you can put a pin on it. Anyone know the process? Is it worth doing? Getting nervous about all these data breaches lately.
23 comments
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NightOwl42
Tax professional here - Yes, you absolutely can and should get an IP PIN for your children! Go to IRS.gov, use the Get An IP PIN tool. You'll need to verify your identity first, then you can request PINs for your dependents. New PINs are issued every year in December/January. Just remember you MUST use the PIN when filing returns or they'll get rejected.
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Dylan Hughes
•Thank you! Do I need to do anything special since these are for minors?
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NightOwl42
•Nope! As long as you can verify your own identity, you can request them for your dependents. Just have their SSNs handy.
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Sofia Rodriguez
Hey, you should check out taxr.ai - it's this new tool that helps analyze transcripts and can actually show you if anyone has tried using your kids' SSNs. Its only $1 and gives you a full security report. I use it for my whole family https://taxr.ai
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Dmitry Ivanov
•Is it legit? Kinda sounds too good to be true 🤔
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Sofia Rodriguez
•100% legit! It saved me so much time figuring out if my kids info was compromised. The security report showed everything clear thank god 😅
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Ava Thompson
Did this last year after my neighbors kid had his identity stolen. Super easy process but make sure you save the PIN somewhere safe!
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Miguel Herrera
omg its such a headache if u forget the pin tho 💀 speaking from experience lol
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Zainab Ali
•fr fr learned that the hard way too 🤡
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Connor Murphy
Just wondering - does anyone know if you have to renew these every year? Or is it a one and done thing?
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NightOwl42
•New PIN every year. IRS sends them in December for the next filing season.
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Yara Nassar
its crazy we even need to do this tbh. like why cant the gov just protect our kids ssn better in the first place smh
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StarGazer101
•Facts! 💯
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CosmicCadet
Definitely worth doing! I set up IP PINs for both my kids after reading about how common child identity theft is. The process is straightforward - just make sure you have all their documents ready when you go through the verification. Also pro tip: set a calendar reminder for December each year so you don't forget to get the new PIN!
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Katherine Ziminski
•Great tip about the calendar reminder! I never would have thought of that but it makes total sense. How long does the verification process usually take when you're doing it for kids?
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Yara Nassar
Good thinking getting ahead of this! I work in cybersecurity and child identity theft is unfortunately super common since kids' SSNs are "clean" and the theft often goes undetected for years. The IP PIN is definitely your best protection. One thing to add - you might also want to check if your kids already have credit reports by requesting them from the major bureaus (they shouldn't have any if their identities haven't been compromised). Keep those PINs in a secure password manager or safe, and like others said, mark your calendar for the annual renewal!
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Daniel Rivera
•This is really helpful advice! I had no idea you could check if kids already have credit reports. That's honestly scary that identity theft can go undetected for so long. Definitely going to do both - get the IP PINs and check for any existing credit reports. Better safe than sorry with all these data breaches happening lately. Thanks for the cybersecurity perspective!
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Zoe Stavros
Just to add to all the great advice here - when you set up the IP PIN for your kids, make sure to also notify any tax preparer you use (if you don't do your own taxes). They'll need to know you have IP PINs so they can include them when filing. I've seen people get their returns rejected because they forgot to tell their tax pro about the PINs. Also, if you move or change addresses, you'll need to update that info with the IRS before requesting new PINs each year. The whole process has been a lifesaver for peace of mind though!
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Alberto Souchard
•This is such a smart point about notifying tax preparers! I would have totally forgotten to mention the PIN to my CPA and then been confused when the return got rejected. Also didn't think about the address update requirement - that's definitely something that could trip people up during moves. Thanks for sharing these practical tips from your experience!
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Oliver Becker
This is such important info - thanks everyone for sharing your experiences! I had no idea child identity theft was so common. Quick question for those who've done this: do you need any specific documents beyond the kids' SSNs when setting up the IP PINs? Like birth certificates or anything? Want to make sure I have everything ready before I start the process.
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Caden Nguyen
•Great question! From my experience, you typically just need their SSNs to request IP PINs for dependents through the IRS website. The verification process is mainly about confirming YOUR identity as the parent/guardian, not theirs. You'll need to verify yourself using things like previous tax return info, loan details, or other personal financial data. Once you're verified, you can add your dependents using just their SSNs and basic info. No need for birth certificates or other physical documents for the online process!
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Diego Fisher
This thread is incredibly helpful! As someone who's been putting this off, all these responses have convinced me it's time to act. One follow-up question - for those who have kids of different ages, do you need to set up IP PINs for ALL of them or just older kids who might be closer to working age? My youngest is only 3 and I'm wondering if it's necessary to start that early or if I should wait until they're older?
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Evelyn Kelly
•Definitely get IP PINs for ALL your kids regardless of age! Identity thieves actually target younger children more because it takes longer to discover the theft. A 3-year-old's SSN is just as valuable to criminals as a teenager's - maybe even more so since there's less chance of detection. I got IP PINs for my 2-year-old twins after reading about cases where toddlers' identities were stolen and not discovered until they applied for their first jobs or college loans years later. Better to protect them now than deal with the nightmare of cleaning up identity theft later!
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