How to recover last year's 5-digit Self Select PIN for filing taxes?
I'm freaking out a little bit because I'm trying to file my taxes right now and my tax software is asking for last year's 5-digit Self-Select PIN. Problem is, I have absolutely zero recollection of what I used. I've been staring at the screen for like 20 minutes trying different combinations of numbers I typically use, but nothing's working. I tried looking it up online but all I could find was information about the 6-digit IP PIN, which is completely different from what I need. The Self-Select PIN is apparently something I created last year when I e-filed. Has anyone dealt with this before? Is there some way to recover this 5-digit Self Select PIN or am I going to have to file paper returns this year? Really don't want to do that with the processing delays and everything. Any help would be seriously appreciated!
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Maggie Martinez
You don't need to panic about the Self-Select PIN! This happens to a lot of people every tax season. The 5-digit Self-Select PIN is just an electronic signature you created when you e-filed last year, and there are ways to work around not having it. First, check last year's tax return if you saved a copy - the PIN might be listed somewhere in the filing information. If you can't find it or don't have last year's return, you have a few options: You can actually just create a new 5-digit Self-Select PIN for this year. Most tax software allows you to simply enter a new PIN if you don't remember the old one. Look for an option that says something like "I don't remember my PIN from last year" or "I want to create a new PIN." Alternatively, you can use your prior year Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) to verify your identity instead of the PIN. Your AGI would be on line 11 of your 2023 Form 1040. This is actually the most common way the IRS verifies your identity for e-filing.
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Zane Gray
•Thank you so much for the quick response! I do have last year's return but I can't find the PIN anywhere in it. Does the software save it somewhere specific? I'm using the same software as last year if that helps. Also, I don't see an option to create a new PIN - it just keeps asking for last year's. Would entering the wrong PIN multiple times lock me out or something?
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Maggie Martinez
•The software typically doesn't save the PIN on your actual tax return documents. It's usually stored in the software's database, but if you're using a new installation or a different computer, it wouldn't have that data. You shouldn't get locked out by trying different PINs, but there's usually an alternative verification method. Look for a link near the PIN entry that says something like "I don't remember my PIN" or "Other verification methods." This should give you the option to use your prior year AGI instead. If you still can't find this option, you could try calling the customer support for your tax software. They deal with this issue frequently and can walk you through the exact steps for your specific software version.
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Alejandro Castro
After going through the exact same nightmare last tax season, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which literally saved me hours of frustration with PIN issues and other tax document problems. I scanned my old tax returns and it actually helped me locate where my Self-Select PIN information was stored in my previous filing paperwork. What I like most is that it can analyze all your tax documents (including prior year returns) and extract the important information you need for this year's filing. The system is really good at finding specific details like your Self-Select PIN or prior year AGI that the IRS uses for verification.
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Monique Byrd
•Does it work with returns prepared by tax professionals too? My accountant did my taxes last year and I have no clue where to find this PIN info in all the paperwork he gave me.
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Jackie Martinez
•I'm a bit skeptical about uploading my tax documents to some random website. How secure is it? Do they store your tax info permanently or is it just for the analysis?
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Alejandro Castro
•It absolutely works with professionally prepared returns. The system is designed to recognize the format of tax returns regardless of who prepared them. It can identify the Self-Select PIN info even in the supplementary worksheets that accountants often include. Security is actually their top priority. They use bank-level encryption for all uploaded documents, and they don't permanently store your tax information. Once the analysis is complete, you can download the results and your documents are automatically deleted from their system after a short period. You can also manually delete them immediately after you get what you need.
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Monique Byrd
Just wanted to update everyone! I tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here and it actually worked! I had a huge stack of tax documents from my accountant that I couldn't make sense of, but the system found a worksheet with my Self-Select PIN noted on it. It was on a page I completely overlooked. The scan took like 30 seconds and highlighted exactly where the PIN was located. Saved me from having to call my accountant and wait for him to get back to me (which usually takes forever during tax season). Already finished my filing now!
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Lia Quinn
If you're still struggling with this and need to talk to the IRS directly, I highly recommend Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation last year where I couldn't recover my PIN and needed to speak with the IRS urgently. Instead of waiting on hold for hours, Claimyr held my place in line and called me back when an IRS agent was available. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS rep was able to verify my identity with other information and help me with the e-filing process without the previous year's Self-Select PIN. Saved me literal hours of hold time and frustration.
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Haley Stokes
•How does this actually work? Does the IRS know they're talking to a third party service or do they think they're calling you directly?
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Jackie Martinez
•Yeah right. No way this actually gets you through to the IRS faster than calling yourself. The IRS phone system is notoriously terrible - if this worked, everyone would be using it.
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Lia Quinn
•The service doesn't act as a third party - they simply hold your place in line. When an IRS agent picks up, you get connected directly to them. It's your phone number that shows up in their system, and you're the one who speaks to the agent. Claimyr just handles the waiting part so you don't have to stay on hold. It absolutely works faster than calling yourself. The difference is they have a system that automatically redials and navigates the IRS phone tree, which is way more efficient than doing it manually. The average wait time for the IRS is over 90 minutes during tax season, but with this service, I was able to get through in about half the time without being stuck listening to the hold music.
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Jackie Martinez
I need to eat my words here. After my skeptical comment earlier, I decided to try Claimyr out of pure frustration after spending 2 hours on hold with the IRS yesterday and eventually hanging up. It actually worked exactly as described. I got a call back in about 45 minutes, and was connected directly to an IRS agent who helped me resolve my Self-Select PIN issue. They verified my identity using my prior year tax return information instead. The agent told me this is actually pretty common and explained that if you can't remember your Self-Select PIN, you can use your prior year AGI for verification purposes. Just have to enter $0 if you didn't file last year.
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Asher Levin
Another option nobody mentioned is that you can look at the e-file acknowledgment from last year. When you e-filed, your tax software should have given you a confirmation that the IRS accepted your return. That acknowledgment sometimes includes the Self-Select PIN you used. Check your email from around the time you filed last year - most software sends the confirmation there. Or look in the software itself for a section called "Tax History" or "Prior Returns" where they might store your e-file confirmation details.
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Zane Gray
•That's a great tip! I just checked my email from last April and found the confirmation message. It doesn't show the PIN directly but it does have a reference number. Would that help at all?
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Asher Levin
•The reference number itself isn't your PIN, but that confirmation email is a good sign! Check if there are any attachments or links in that email. Some tax software includes a PDF summary with more details about your filing, which might contain the PIN. If there's nothing there, go back to your tax software and look for a section like "Last Year's Returns" or "Filing History." If you're using the same software as last year, they often keep records of your previous filings, including the Self-Select PIN you used.
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Serene Snow
For anyone finding this thread later - if all else fails, you can just file a paper return! Yeah it's slower, but it works if you're up against the deadline and can't resolve the PIN issue. When I couldn't figure out my PIN issue last year, I just printed everything out and mailed it in. Got my refund in about 8 weeks. Not ideal, but better than not filing!
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Issac Nightingale
•You can also request a tax transcript from the IRS website which shows your AGI from previous years. That's another way to verify your identity for e-filing if you can't remember your Self-Select PIN. Just go to IRS.gov and search for "Get Transcript" - you can view it online immediately after verifying your identity.
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Serene Snow
•That's definitely faster than paper filing! I wish I'd known about the transcript option last year. Paper filing took forever and I was stressing about whether they'd received it the whole time. One thing to note about the transcript method though - you need to create an account on the IRS website if you don't already have one, and their identity verification can be pretty strict. Make sure you have a credit card, mortgage, or loan account number handy because they'll ask for that during verification.
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Liam Brown
Just want to add another perspective here - if you're using TurboTax specifically, they have a feature called "Transfer Last Year's Data" that can sometimes help recover your Self-Select PIN. When you import your prior year return, it might pull in the PIN information automatically. Also, for future reference, I always write my Self-Select PIN on a sticky note and put it with my tax documents folder. Learned this lesson the hard way after going through the same panic as OP! The PIN is something you create, so there's no "official" record of it anywhere except what you or your software saved. One more thing - if you're still stuck and need to e-file today, try entering your prior year AGI as suggested above, but make sure you're using the exact amount from line 11 of your 2023 Form 1040. Don't round it or estimate - it has to match exactly what the IRS has on file.
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Benjamin Kim
•This is really helpful advice, especially about writing down the PIN for next year! I'm definitely going to do that sticky note trick. Quick question though - when you say "Transfer Last Year's Data" in TurboTax, does that work if you're using the online version or only the desktop software? I'm using TurboTax Online and I'm not sure if I see that option anywhere. Also, do you happen to know if other tax software like H&R Block or FreeTaxUSA have similar features for recovering the PIN? The AGI tip is gold too - I found my 2023 return and I'm going to try that exact amount if the PIN recovery doesn't work out. Thanks for being so specific about using line 11!
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