Staying Fit
You have a personal identification number (PIN) for your computer, your bank card and probably your cellphone. Now you can get a six-digit PIN from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to help guard against identity theft when you file your taxes.
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The PIN is an extra layer of security that will protect you if a fraudster who has obtained your Social Security number tries to file a bogus tax return in your name in order to get a refund from the federal government. If this happens, it's likely that your refund will be delayed while you prove to the IRS that it wasn't you who filed the false return.
Ideally, scammers won't be able to get both your PIN and your Social Security number. You'll get a new PIN every year.
How to Tell if You’re the Target of an IRS Scam
How to get a PIN
If you have been stung by identity theft, the IRS may have already assigned you a PIN for the 2020 tax year. If that's the case, you'll be sent a CP01A notice, which has your PIN at the top of the first column on page one. The form also has instructions on how to use the PIN.
If you have reported identity theft to the IRS and didn't get a PIN, the agency may not have finished investigating your case, or you may have moved before the end of the last year and didn't notify the agency.
If you haven't been assigned a PIN, you can request one by using the agency's "Get an IP PIN” tool, as long as you have a Social Security number or a taxpayer identification number. If, however, your annual income is $72,000 or less and you don't have internet access, you can still get a PIN by filing Form 15227 (Application for an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number).
You may also get an in-person meeting at a Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC), which are available in some locations by appointment.
