By: Jon Tennent, CPA | jtennent@deandorton.com
This year the IRS has opened up its Identity Protection PIN system to all tax filers who wish to opt-in; being a victim of identity theft is no longer a requirement. This process can be completed entirely online in under 30 minutes if you have the following items available:
- a copy of your prior tax return;
- your social security number;
- one of the following: a credit card, home loan, auto loan, or student loan account number in your name;
- a cell phone registered in your name; and
- a valid email address.
Note that this process would need to be completed separately for each spouse in the case of a married couple. If there is a problem with one of the identity verification items above, such as if the cell phone is registered in your spouse’s name, you can still receive the protection PIN by mail.
Obtaining one of these numbers can be a quick and easy way to reduce your exposure to identity thieves.
Read more and get an identity protection PIN
This article was originally published in News & Views (Dean Dorton’s quarterly newsletter).