IRS Rejection of Electronic Returns Due to Inaccurate PIN!

[In Search of The Tax Truth]

I finished filing my Joint Married 1040 form and received a note back from the IRS that it had been rejected. Turbo Tax explained that my Pin was incorrect and that I would have to correct the error and try to re-submit electronically or print out a hard copy and mail it.

It appears that Turbo Tax simply replicated a pin that I had used for one or two years and I had not received any information that the IRS updates pins every year for identity theft protection.  Based upon similar issues with other customers, why hasn't Turbo Tax implemented a process for a customer to check the validity of a pin with the IRS before a return is submitted?  By proactively requiring customers to check on updated pins at IRS.gov website, Turbo Tax (and Intuit) would be providing a vital service to customers, themselves, and the IRS!  In my opinion, this is a "deal breaker" for many tax filers!

[NicolleR1]

There is two different types of PIN numbers. The IRS issued IP PIN (Identity-Theft Protection PIN number) which is 6 Digit PIN issued every year by the IRS in order for you to file electronically, and the Signature PIN number. The signature PIN number is a 5-Digit number used as a signature. 

If your Tax Return was rejected due to an IP PIN, you should have received a letter from the IRS with the 6 digits Number, or you can create an account on the IRS website to retrieve it. 

Get an identity protection PIN (IP PIN)

To enter the IP PIN

• From your TurboTax main screen locate Uncommon Situations. 
• Select the sub-topic "Identity Protection PIN", and click START.

If your Tax Return was rejected due to an incorrect AGI or PIN

To E-file your tax return, you will need EITHER last year's self-created 5-digit PIN, or last year's AGI (adjusted gross income). Your 5-digit PIN isn't saved anywhere; in this case you can use you AGI instead.  

Your 2023 AGI is located within your prior-year tax documents Form 1040, Line 11.

There are a few reasons why your AGI, even if it is correct, it might not work, such as if your 2023 return was processed after April 15th, 2024. In this case, you can try putting "0" for the AGI. See the link below for more details and scenarios. If after trying with "0" it keeps getting rejected, you will have to paper-file your return.

How do I find last year's AGI?

[Griff70]

My return was rejected because of an "inaccurate IP PIN".  I had entered the one sent by the IRS in October 2024 thinking that would be the proper one to use when filing my CY 2024 tax return.  I am now aware that the IRS created a new IP PIN in calendar year 2025 which has to be used for filing the CY 2024 tax return.  Unfortunately, the IRS did not inform me of the new IP PIN.  I recommend that TurboTax include a reminder that one must log onto the IRS website to ensure they have the most up to date IP PIN.