IRS rejects correct IP PIN that they provided - My tax preparer is stumped
I'm beyond frustrated right now. My husband registered for an Identity Protection PIN with the IRS about two weeks ago. He got his 6-digit IP PIN and we saved it carefully. Today we went to our tax preparer expecting to file and get our refund processed, and we were even hoping for a refund advance to help with some bills. But when our preparer entered the exact IP PIN from the IRS website, the e-file got rejected claiming it's the wrong PIN! We literally pulled up the IRS website right there to verify, and it's definitely the correct 6 digits. Our tax guy is completely confused too, which doesn't inspire confidence. Really regretting signing up for this IP PIN thing now. We were counting on that refund, and now we're stuck in some bizarre IRS limbo with the correct PIN being rejected as incorrect. Has anyone dealt with this before? Any ideas what to do? We're desperate to get this resolved ASAP.
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Evelyn Rivera
I've seen this happen a few times this season. There are a couple of likely causes: First, double check that you're using the correct tax year's IP PIN. The IRS issues new PINs every year, and sometimes people accidentally use last year's PIN. Make sure you're looking at the 2024 IP PIN on the IRS website. Second, verify who exactly needs the IP PIN. If you're filing jointly, check whether both spouses have an IP PIN or just one. If both have PINs, both must be entered correctly. Third, there might be a data entry issue. Sometimes a simple typo when the preparer enters the PIN can cause the rejection. Ask them to re-enter it carefully while you watch. If none of these solve it, call the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 800-908-4490. They can help troubleshoot IP PIN issues. Be prepared to verify your identity with them. The wait times can be long, but they're your best resource for this specific problem.
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Julia Hall
•What happens if you just file on paper instead? Wouldn't that bypass the whole e-filing PIN rejection issue? I had to do that once when I kept getting rejected for some weird reason.
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Evelyn Rivera
•You can certainly file a paper return as a workaround. The IP PIN would still need to be included on the paper return (there's a designated spot for it on Form 1040), but you wouldn't face an immediate electronic rejection. The downside is that paper returns take much longer to process - currently 6-8 weeks minimum compared to about 21 days for e-filed returns. Also, if there actually is an issue with the PIN, the IRS might hold your return for additional verification anyway, which could cause further delays.
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Arjun Patel
I went through this exact nightmare last month and wasted hours trying to fix it myself. I finally used taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) to analyze my rejection code and PIN situation. They have this document analysis tool that helped pinpoint the exact issue - which turned out to be that my tax preparer was entering the PIN in the wrong field (they were putting it in the Self-Select PIN field instead of the Identity Protection PIN field). The tool actually showed a side-by-side of my rejection code and what the proper fix was. Saved me from having to wait on hold with the IRS for hours. My preparer fixed the issue and my return was accepted the same day.
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Jade Lopez
•Does this actually work for IP PIN issues specifically? The IRS website is so confusing about this stuff, and I can't tell what's causing my rejection.
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Tony Brooks
•I'm skeptical about using third-party services to fix IRS problems. How do you know it's secure enough to trust with your tax info? Seems risky.
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Arjun Patel
•Yes, it absolutely works for IP PIN issues. The system analyzes the specific rejection code you received and identifies whether it's truly a wrong PIN or something else (like entering it in the wrong field or a system timing issue). It saved me from having to decipher the cryptic IRS error codes myself. Regarding security concerns, I was hesitant at first too. But they use bank-level encryption and don't actually store your tax return data permanently. They just analyze the specific documents you upload to identify the problem. Much safer than emailing tax documents or sharing screens with random preparers online.
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Jade Lopez
Just wanted to update - I tried taxr.ai after my post above and it actually identified my problem immediately! Turns out my IP PIN was correct, but my birthdate was entered wrong on the return (off by one day), which causes the same rejection code. My preparer fixed it and my return was accepted within hours. Wish I'd known about this tool weeks ago instead of stressing and calling the IRS daily. Definitely worth checking out if you're hitting the IP PIN wall.
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Ella rollingthunder87
After struggling with IP PIN rejections for two weeks, I finally got through to an actual IRS agent using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). They have this service that holds your place in the IRS phone queue and calls you when an agent is about to answer. I was seriously doubtful, but you can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c When I finally got to speak with an IRS rep, they confirmed there was a known system issue affecting some IP PINs issued in late January. The agent manually verified my identity and issued a temporary override code that my tax preparer used to successfully file my return. This was after countless hours of trying to fix it myself. Sometimes you just need to talk to a human at the IRS to solve these weird glitches.
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Yara Campbell
•How long did it take for them to call you back? I've spent hours on hold with the IRS and always end up hanging up because I can't stay on the phone all day.
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Isaac Wright
•This sounds like a scam. Why would I pay someone else to call the IRS for me? The IRS phone system is free to use, even if it takes forever.
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Ella rollingthunder87
•It took about 2 hours total, which was way better than my previous attempts where I waited 3+ hours and still never reached anyone. They give you an estimated wait time upfront, and then you just go about your day until they call you when an agent is about to pick up. I felt the same way initially - why pay for something that's technically free? But after spending multiple days trying to get through and always getting disconnected or having to hang up for work meetings, the time savings was absolutely worth it. Think of it like paying for convenience - similar to paying for grocery delivery instead of shopping yourself. Your time has value too.
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Isaac Wright
Update on my situation: I was wrong and owe an apology. After multiple failed attempts to reach the IRS myself, I broke down and tried Claimyr. Got connected to an IRS agent in about 90 minutes while I was able to work on other things. The agent confirmed there's a known issue with some IP PINs issued in January/February where the system sometimes doesn't recognize them for 30+ days after issuance. She provided a workaround code for my preparer, and my return was accepted the next day. Just got my refund deposited this morning. Sometimes it's worth paying for a service that actually delivers what it promises. I'll definitely use this again next time I need to reach the IRS.
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Maya Diaz
Has anyone tried requesting a new IP PIN instead? I had a similar issue last year and got a replacement PIN through the IRS website. The new one worked fine even though the original one kept getting rejected.
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Kolton Murphy
•We actually called and tried that route. The IRS rep told us that you can't get a new IP PIN for the current tax year once one has been issued - it's tied to your SSN in their system. They suggested we could file a paper return instead, but said it would take 8-12 weeks for processing versus the 3 weeks for e-file. We're trying some of the other solutions mentioned here first before falling back to paper.
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Maya Diaz
•That's interesting - they must have changed their policy then. Last year they were able to issue me a replacement PIN when the original one wasn't working, but maybe they've tightened things up. Thanks for the update. Hope one of these other solutions works out for you!
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Tami Morgan
Stupid question maybe, but are you sure the PIN is being entered exactly as shown? Like no O vs 0 (letter O vs number zero) confusion or anything like that? My preparer made that mistake last year.
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Rami Samuels
•Not a stupid question! I work at a tax office and we see this all the time. Also worth checking that the right PIN is being entered for the right person. If both spouses have PINs and they get switched, the return will reject.
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CyberSiren
I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! My IP PIN keeps getting rejected even though I've triple-checked it against the IRS website. One thing that helped me was having my preparer try entering it in a different software - apparently some tax prep software has glitches with IP PIN validation that others don't have. My preparer switched from their usual software to a backup system and it went through immediately. Might be worth asking if your preparer has access to a different filing system to try? Also, make sure they're not accidentally including any spaces or dashes when entering the PIN - it should just be the 6 digits with no formatting.
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Jean Claude
•That's a great point about the different software systems! I never would have thought that the tax prep software itself could be the issue. It makes sense that some programs might have bugs in their IP PIN validation that others don't. @47a53e2ea0f0 definitely worth asking your preparer if they can try a different system - seems like a simple thing to test before going through all the hassle of calling the IRS or filing on paper. Thanks for sharing that tip!
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