Get your PIN in 60 seconds or less
It's quick and it's easy – click here and go to this IRS website or call their automated number 1-866-704-7388.
The IRS will ask for a few bits of information to verify your identity. In exchange, you'll receive your 5-digit PIN so you can e-file your 2011 return.
Your assigned PIN, which cannot be changed, is good through mid-October of 2012; no need to write it down for next year.
And finally – don't forget to also get a PIN for your spouse if you're filing a joint return!
Why do I need to do this?
To e-file your federal tax return, the IRS needs to verify your identity – and your spouse's, if the two of you are filing a joint return.
In TurboTax, you can do this with the 5-digit Electronic Filing PIN that the IRS has assigned to you.
If you successfully e-filed your 2010 TurboTax return and transferred your data over, your verification info is already in your 2011 return.
Can I make up my own e-filing PIN?
No, because that number won't match the IRS Electronic Filing PIN database, which means that the IRS won't be able to verify your identity and your return will be rejected.
Here's how it works: The IRS has already assigned a 5-digit PIN to every taxpayer who filed a tax return last year.
When you e-file your 2011 return, the PIN you enter on the To E-file, You Must Choose One of These Options screen must match your pre-assigned PIN from the IRS. (The same holds true for your spouse, if you're filing jointly and your spouse also filed last year.)
If the numbers match, the IRS will know that you are you, and you'll have satisfied the IRS's identity-verification requirements for your 2011 return.
The PIN I used last year keeps getting rejected
The only PIN that will work this year is the Electronic Filing PIN issued by the IRS. If you recycle last year's 5-digit PIN, your return will get rejected.
You can quickly get a new PIN by following the instructions above. That's the PIN you need to enter into TurboTax.
My new PIN from the IRS keeps getting rejected
- Verify your PIN by requesting it again. Maybe you entered it wrong or wrote it down incorrectly?
- If you're positive that your PIN is correct, try the AGI verification method. Click here for instructions.
- Call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to talk to an agent. They can verify the 2010 filing information you need to get a valid PIN.
- Instead of e-filing, consider filing your return by mail. Click here for instructions.
