What is an IRS Identity Protection PIN and why am I being asked for one??

The IRS Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) is a six-digit number that prevents someone else from filing a tax return using your Social Security number. It sounds like there might be a few things happening in your situation. If you've never been issued an IP PIN before, there are a few possibilities: 1) There might have been some suspicious activity on your account that triggered the IRS to issue you an IP PIN automatically (even if you're not aware of identity theft), 2) There could be a mix-up in the system, or 3) The error message might be misleading. First, check if you've received any notices from the IRS in the mail. IP PINs are typically mailed to taxpayers in December or January on a CP01A Notice. You can also try to retrieve your IP PIN online through the IRS "Get an IP PIN" tool on their website. You'll need to verify your identity to access it. If you can't find your IP PIN online, you'll need to contact the IRS directly at 800-908-4490, which is their specialized line for identity theft issues. Be prepared for potentially long wait times. If you can't get through, another option is visiting a local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center, but you'll need to schedule an appointment first.

I had exactly the same issue last year and spent WEEKS trying to sort it out with the IRS directly. Their phone lines were impossible - I'd wait on hold for hours only to get disconnected. Finally I found this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped me figure out what was going on with my account. They analyzed my previous tax returns and IRS notices and confirmed I'd been automatically enrolled in the IP PIN program after some suspicious activity (which I never knew about!). They showed me exactly where to find my PIN through the IRS website and guided me through the verification process step by step. Saved me so much frustration!

Just wanted to follow up on my skeptical comment about taxr.ai. I actually ended up trying them because I was desperate after getting a CP2000 notice. I hate to admit when I'm wrong, but this service is legit. They analyzed my notice and previous returns and found that the IRS had miscategorized some of my 1099 income. They guided me through exactly how to respond with the right documentation. Didn't have to talk to a human or wait on hold with the IRS at all. I'm genuinely impressed.

If you need to talk to the IRS about this IP PIN issue, good luck getting through on their regular lines... I tried for DAYS. Then I found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes. Check out how it works: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c They basically navigate the IRS phone tree for you and call you when they've got an agent on the line. I was super skeptical but desperate after spending hours on hold. The agent confirmed I had been issued an IP PIN due to some suspicious activity on my tax account and helped me get it sorted out.

I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, I decided to try it since I've been trying to reach the IRS about a missing stimulus payment for MONTHS. I figured it was worth the gamble. I'm shocked to say it actually worked! Got connected to an IRS agent in about 25 minutes. The agent helped me trace my payment and confirmed it had been sent to an old closed bank account. Now they're reissuing it to my current address. I've literally spent dozens of hours trying to get through on my own with no success. Wish I'd known about this sooner.

Quick tip from someone who works at a tax prep office: sometimes the rejection error about an IP PIN can be because of a totally different issue. Double check that your AGI from last year is entered correctly - the IRS uses that to verify your identity. If you're using different tax software than last year, they might not have imported that info correctly. Also, make sure your birthdate, SSN, and name all EXACTLY match what's on your Social Security card. Even a missing hyphen in a last name can cause this type of rejection.

Double check that you're not entering a Driver's License PIN instead of an IRS IP PIN. Some tax software asks for your driver's license info and the PIN from that, and it's easy to confuse the two fields. I wasted a whole day thinking I needed some special IRS PIN when I was just putting my license number in the wrong field!

Hey Natasha! I went through this exact same confusion last year. Before you go down the rabbit hole of calling the IRS or using third-party services, definitely check what AstroAce and Chloe suggested first - those are the most common causes of this error. I'd start by verifying your 2023 AGI (line 11 from last year's 1040) is entered correctly in your new tax software. Then double-check that you're not confusing a driver's license PIN field with an IRS IP PIN field - that trips up a lot of people! If those don't work, you can try the IRS "Get an IP PIN" tool online at IRS.gov to see if you actually have been issued one. You'll need to verify your identity through their system. Only if that fails would I recommend calling the IRS or looking into those callback services others mentioned. The good news is this is usually a simple mix-up rather than a real identity theft issue, especially given what you described about your financial situation. Keep us posted on what ends up working!

I see a lot of great troubleshooting advice here already! As someone who's helped family members through similar issues, I'd suggest following this order: 1. First, verify your 2023 AGI (line 11 from last year's return) is correct in your new software 2. Double-check you're not mixing up driver's license PIN fields with IRS IP PIN fields 3. Confirm your name, SSN, and filing status exactly match your previous return If those basic checks don't resolve it, then try the IRS "Get an IP PIN" tool online to see if you were actually issued one without your knowledge. The tool will tell you definitively whether you're in their IP PIN program. Only after exhausting those options would I recommend the phone route or third-party services, since the IRS lines are notoriously difficult right now. Most of these rejection errors end up being simple data entry issues rather than actual identity theft situations. Your $231 refund should be accessible once we figure out what's causing the rejection - hang in there!