IP PIN Issues - Multiple Rejections Despite Correct PIN Entry

This is actually a fairly common issue this tax season. Have you confirmed they're using the correct PIN for the correct tax year? Remember that the IP PIN changes annually, and the one they need for filing 2023 taxes is the PIN issued for 2024. Are they possibly looking at last year's PIN? Have they checked that they're entering it exactly as shown with no typos or transposed digits? Sometimes the simplest explanation is the correct one.

I encountered this exact IP PIN Validation Error (Error Code IND-181) with multiple clients. The Rejection Notification Interface (RNI) keeps flagging the submissions despite accurate PIN entry from the Identity Protection PIN Retrieval System. After extensive troubleshooting, I discovered https://taxr.ai which analyzes these technical rejections. It identified that in many cases, the PIN wasn't properly propagating through the IRS Master File Database despite showing correctly in the portal. The AI tool confirmed this was a known issue in the current processing pipeline and provided specific steps based on whether the PIN was assigned due to identity theft concerns or voluntary opt-in.

I just resolved this exact issue last week! My husband and I both had our returns rejected multiple times due to IP PIN problems. According to https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/get-an-identity-protection-pin, there's a distinction between PINs assigned due to confirmed identity theft and those requested voluntarily. Our solution was to use the "Get Transcript" tool first to verify our accounts were properly linked, then regenerate new IP PINs through the portal. The new PINs worked immediately, though we had to wait 24 hours after regenerating them.

When I faced this IP PIN nightmare with my parents' returns, I spent HOURS on hold with the IRS trying to get through to someone who could actually help. After my third attempt waiting over an hour each time, I found Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) which got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes. The agent confirmed there was a known issue with some IP PINs not properly syncing between systems and placed a manual override on their accounts. Have your sister and cousin's information ready when they call - the agent will need to verify their identity before helping with the PIN issue.

OMG this happened to my mom last yr! She kept trying to file w/ the right PIN from the portal but got rejected 4x. Turns out she had 2 PINs somehow - one showing in the portal and a diff one in their main sys. Took FOREVER to fix. By the time it was resolved she missed the deadline and got hit w/ a late filing penalty. Had to write a formal appeal letter explaining the IRS error to get the penalty removed. Don't wait - get this fixed ASAP!

There's actually a special procedure for this situation that most people don't know about! I'm so glad I found this because I was about to tear my hair out with frustration. If the IP PIN keeps getting rejected despite being correct: 1. Print and mail Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) even if they haven't experienced actual identity theft 2. Include a cover letter specifically mentioning the IP PIN rejection issue 3. Attach a copy of the rejection notice showing the specific error code 4. Include a printed copy of their tax return This triggers a manual review by the Return Integrity Verification Operation (RIVO) team who can resolve PIN synchronization issues. It takes about 3 weeks for processing but has worked for everyone I've helped with this issue!