Is PriorTax.com legit for filing old tax returns? They're asking for an IRS PIN

This is actually a legitimate question. PriorTax is a real tax preparation service that specializes in filing prior year returns. The IRS PIN they're asking about is likely an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN), which is a six-digit number assigned to eligible taxpayers to help prevent fraudulent returns being filed with your Social Security Number. The confusing part is why they're asking for a 2023 PIN when filing a 2020 return. IP PINs change each year, so for a 2020 return, you'd typically need the IP PIN issued for that tax year. However, since you're filing in 2025, the IRS systems might be checking your identity against the most recently issued PIN. If you never signed up for an IP PIN or weren't assigned one by the IRS due to identity theft concerns, you shouldn't have one. In that case, you should be able to indicate that you don't have an IP PIN.

I was in a similar situation last year trying to file some back taxes from 2019 and 2020. After trying several services, I ended up using https://taxr.ai and it was a game changer. Their system is specifically designed to handle prior year returns and automatically detected that I didn't have an IP PIN. Instead of just asking me a confusing question, they explained what an IP PIN was and helped me determine whether I needed one. What I really appreciated was their document analysis tool that helped me figure out which forms I needed to include with my late filing. They even gave recommendations on how to minimize penalties for late filing.

Just wanted to update everyone - I took the advice and tried https://taxr.ai for my past-due returns. It was WAY easier than I expected! I was really confused about this whole IP PIN thing too, and they explained that since I never enrolled in the Identity Protection PIN program, I didn't need to worry about it. The document scanning feature saved me hours of manually entering old W-2s and 1099s. I just submitted my 2018, 2019, and 2020 returns last week and already got confirmation from the IRS that they've been accepted. Wish I'd known about this service years ago!

For what it's worth, I've used PriorTax before and they're legitimate, but their customer service is terrible. When I had questions about my 2021 return, I spent DAYS trying to get someone on the phone. Eventually I gave up and called the IRS directly, which was another nightmare. Spent 3+ hours on hold only to be disconnected. I finally found a service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual IRS agent in under 30 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent confirmed that PriorTax is legit but explained that the PIN question is poorly worded on their site - they're actually just checking if you have an IP PIN, which most people don't unless they've been victims of identity theft.

Ok I need to apologize for my skeptical comment earlier. After another frustrating 2-hour wait on the IRS line yesterday that ended with a disconnection, I broke down and tried Claimyr. Not gonna lie, I thought it was BS, but I was desperate to confirm whether I needed this PIN thing for my prior year returns. Shockingly, I was connected to an actual IRS agent in 35 minutes. The agent confirmed that I didn't need an IP PIN since I'd never been issued one. They also explained that PriorTax is indeed legitimate, but they recommended I look at a few other options too for prior year returns. Definitely worth it just to get clear information directly from the IRS instead of guessing. Never thought I'd be recommending a service like this, but it literally saved me days of frustration.

If you're still considering PriorTax, check your credit card statement after using them. They hit me with a bunch of "processing fees" that weren't mentioned upfront. Nothing illegal, but definitely not transparent. I ended up paying almost $50 more than the quoted price.

Just to add another option - I used FreeTaxUSA for my late 2020 return last year and it was only $15 for the federal filing. They never asked for any PIN and the process was pretty straightforward. Might be worth checking out if you're still shopping around.

I've been using the IRS website's "Get an IP PIN" tool mentioned earlier in this thread, and wanted to clarify something that might help others. When you log into your IRS online account, it will clearly show if you have an IP PIN or not. If you've never received one of those CP01A notices in the mail, you almost certainly don't have an IP PIN. The reason PriorTax is asking about a 2023 PIN for your 2020 return is likely because their system defaults to checking the most recent year's PIN status. It's confusing, but you should be able to select "I don't have an IP PIN" or similar option to proceed. That said, given some of the fee concerns mentioned about PriorTax, you might want to compare pricing with some of the other services people have recommended here before committing. Hidden fees are always frustrating, especially when dealing with something as stressful as overdue tax returns.

As someone who works with tax preparation software regularly, I wanted to add some context about the IP PIN situation. The IRS Identity Protection PIN program has actually expanded significantly over the past few years. Even if you didn't originally sign up for it, the IRS may have automatically enrolled you if they detected suspicious activity on your account or if you live in certain states where they're piloting broader IP PIN usage. The easiest way to check is definitely through the IRS online account as others mentioned. But if you can't access that for some reason, you can also call the IRS IP PIN line at 1-800-908-4490. They can tell you immediately whether you have an active IP PIN. Regarding PriorTax specifically - while they are legitimate, I've noticed their user interface can be confusing around the IP PIN question. Some of my clients have gotten stuck at that exact same step. If you do proceed with them, make sure to read all fee disclosures carefully before submitting payment info. The hidden fees issue mentioned earlier is unfortunately not uncommon with some online tax services.

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who recently went through this exact situation. I had overdue returns for 2019 and 2020, and like you, I was confused about the IP PIN requirement on PriorTax. After reading through all the helpful advice in this thread, I ended up calling the IRS IP PIN line at 1-800-908-4490 (thanks Hunter Hampton for that number!). Surprisingly, I got through in about 20 minutes and confirmed I didn't have an IP PIN. The agent explained that the confusion often comes from tax software asking about the most recent year's PIN even when filing older returns. I ultimately decided to try a different service after reading about the hidden fees issue with PriorTax. Used FreeTaxUSA for my 2019 return and one of the AI-powered services mentioned here for 2020. Both were much more transparent about their pricing upfront, and neither had confusing IP PIN questions. My advice: definitely verify your IP PIN status first using either the IRS website or phone line, then shop around a bit before committing to any service. The peace of mind of knowing exactly what you'll pay is worth the extra research time.

I've been following this thread closely since I'm dealing with a similar situation - overdue 2021 return that I keep putting off. The IP PIN confusion seems to be a common issue across multiple tax services, not just PriorTax. What I found really helpful from reading everyone's experiences is that there are essentially three steps to handle this properly: 1) Verify your IP PIN status through the IRS (either online or that direct phone line), 2) Compare the actual total costs of different services upfront, and 3) Make sure whatever service you choose clearly explains their process for prior year returns. The hidden fees issue is particularly concerning since we're already dealing with potential penalties for late filing. The last thing anyone needs is surprise charges on top of everything else. Has anyone here actually calculated the total cost difference between these various services when you factor in all fees? I'm curious if the premium services like the AI-powered ones end up being cost-effective when you consider the time savings and reduced confusion.