What is an IRS Electronic Filing PIN and Why is E-Signing Necessary?

We work to make electronically filing your taxes as convenient as possible. We will help you to prepare your return and when you are ready transmit it, help to send it safely and securely on to the IRS. Before we do this, you will need to e-sign your return just as you would with a paper filing.

Anytime you opt to electronically file a tax document, you are required to enter either your adjusted gross income (AGI) from last year's tax return or your IRS personal identification number (PIN). This is also known as e-signing and is used as an electronic signature. It also serves as a way to help protect tax payers against unauthorized filings.

A IRS electronic filing PIN is usually five digits long. It serves to help verify that the person filing is the individual taxpayer or someone filing on the behalf of this taxpayer.

If you do not know what your IRS e-file PIN is, or need to recover one previously used you can find more information here. While this may be a slight inconvenience to some, use of this verification system helps to protect taxpayers from falling victim to fraud.

How Do I Find My IRS Electronic Filing PIN?

If this is the first year you are using an e-file program to transmit your return you will need to create a 5-digit IRS electronic filing PIN. You can also generate a new PIN if your existing one is forgotten or misplaced. Below are the instructions for doing this. Note - for your own protection, you will be asked to verify your identify with some basic information before being issued a filing PIN.

You will need the following information before you begin:

With this information, you will fill out the self-select application,  here. Once completed, you will be able to create your own 5-digit PIN and be able to e-sign your return. The entire process takes just minutes to complete. To do this you must:

If you meet these requirements, and have the information specified above you can proceed with selecting a PIN. This will be entered on your e-filed tax return so that your identity can be verified. While this may take a few extra minutes, it is required in an effort to reduce fraud and identity theft so feel comfortable knowing this is in place this tax season.

 

 

Q&A: Why do I need an IP PIN?

When a taxpayer is the victim of fraud and has a fraudulent tax return filed for them, the IRS often provides the taxpayer with an IP PIN (Identity Protection PIN). The IP PIN is six numbers which are assigned specifically to the taxpayer and must be used when filing future tax returns. This is done in an attempt to help prevent further fraudulent use of the taxpayer's SSN on tax returns.