IRS Reminder: Protect Your Clients' Tax Information with an IP PIN and Online Account Safeguards
The IRS reminds taxpayers to protect online-account sign-in details and request an IP PIN to help stop tax-related identity theft before filing.
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- IRS source: IRS reminder: Take steps now to protect tax information
On October 22, 2026, the IRS reminded taxpayers to protect their tax information from tax-related identity theft. The reminder focuses on two steps: safeguarding IRS online-account credentials and obtaining an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN). Both are worth reviewing with clients before the next filing season.
Why this matters for your clients
The IRS says that protecting sensitive financial information helps prevent unauthorized users from reaching confidential tax information and IRS online services. Many clients do not realize how much personal tax data sits behind an online account, so this is a good moment to raise the subject.
The IRS Individual Online Account
After they verify their identity, taxpayers can securely access their IRS Individual Online Account to view tax information and complete certain tax-related tasks. The account may show recently filed returns, refund status, payments, tax records, notifications, and service requests.
The IRS advises taxpayers not to share their sign-in information with anyone. Remind clients that a family member, a friend, or someone offering help online should never receive their password or verification details.
What an IP PIN does
An IP PIN is a six-digit number. It prevents someone else from filing a federal tax return using the taxpayer's Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN). Only the taxpayer and the IRS know the number.
Clients who do not already have an IP PIN may request one as a proactive step against tax-related identity theft. They can get one even if they are not required to file a federal tax return.
Timing for early filers
Clients who plan to file early in 2027 should request an IP PIN before the online system becomes unavailable for annual maintenance in mid-November. The system is generally available again beginning in mid-January.
If a client waits, the online system may be unavailable for annual maintenance in mid-November. Plan requests well before that point.
Protecting the IP PIN at filing time
Clients should protect their IP PIN and disclose it only to a trusted tax professional when they are ready to prepare and submit their federal tax return. Sharing it casually, even in a message to a relative, weakens the protection the number provides.
Watch for IRS impersonation
The IRS will never call, email, text, or contact taxpayers through social media to request their IP PIN. If a client receives a message asking for the number, it did not come from the IRS, and the client should not reply with it.
What to tell your clients
- Keep online account sign-in information private and never share it.
- Request an IP PIN before mid-November if they plan to file early in 2027.
- Clients who are not required to file a federal tax return can still request an IP PIN.
- Protect the IP PIN and share it only with a trusted tax professional when preparing and submitting the return.
- Ignore calls, emails, texts, or social media messages that ask for an IP PIN.
Self-employed clients and small-business owners who file a Schedule C are taxpayers too, so the same reminders apply to them. Reviewing these steps at the start of the season can help clients file with greater confidence, as the IRS puts it, and know they have taken reasonable steps to protect themselves.
Informational only, based on the IRS source linked above; not tax or legal advice for a specific situation.