Identify Theft... Have Your Taxes Already Been Filed?

By Alice Horton-Barr, CEO, Honest Abe's Taxes, Inc.

Identity theft is on the rise in 2021 tax filing due to all the “free money” available to tax payers this year. Many taxpayers are discovering when they go to file their taxes that the returns are being rejected due to it being a “duplicate submission”.

Social Security numbers have known to be hacked from Credit Card sites, the IRS itself, Bank sites, and other internet sources. If your SSN has now been used to file a fraudulent tax return you must file Identity theft with the IRS and file a paper return. It will probably take 6 to 8 months, at least, to see your 2021 tax refund. Also, in the future you will receive a PIN each January from the IRS that you must use in the filing of your tax return so that the IRS knows the return is being filed by you and not the “hacker”.

Last year the IRS started a voluntary program for people who have not been hacked to sign up for a PIN number. You can sign up for that program by filing form 15227. It is a simple form. The IRS will reach out to you to confirm that you filed the form and ask confirming information from your tax returns. You will then get a PIN each January to file your taxes with.

The IRS PIN acts as a second SSN to secure your income tax filing. It is a good program and works, but you must be sure to not misplace the PIN or you must paper mail your return.

Each tax season seems to have some unplanned headache to attack tax payers and this year so far this seems to be our issue. Honest Abe’s staff is ready and able to help you with all tax matters. Call us at 570-668-8297 to make an appointment or drop by at 259 Claremont Avenue, Hometown, Tamaqua, PA.