Tax return was rejected because of invalid Identity Protection PIN

[Customer99]

No one in my household has a Identity Protection PIN but my tax return was rejected because: IND-996 - The Dependent/Qualifying Person Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN) provided on the return is not valid.

Under the "Federal" tab, and "Other Tax Situations", I select "Revisit" next to "Identity Protection PIN". To this question "Did anyone in your family get an Identity Protection PIN from the IRS for this year's taxes?", I answer "No". Then I file again but my tax return keeps getting rejected.

TurboTax Online Premium 2023

[NCperson]

@Customer99 unfortunately, there is a PIN associated with a dependent's SSN.  Is there a spouse that requested it sometime in the past? 

Best you can do is:

1) request it be sent to you again (via mail) - see link below

2) paper file, but it is going to take 'forever' to get any refund due you as the IRS investigates why there is PIN associated with the dependent SSN but it was not provided on the tax return.  

there should be  a few digits at the end of the rejection response - those should be the last digits of the SSN that has an IP PIN associated with it. 

Best to focus on option 1. 

https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/retrieve-your-ip-pin

[fanfare]

For whatever reason, IRS may assign you a PIN and not tell you.

In which case you can use the link above to retrieve it.

@Customer99 

[Customer99 · Accepted solution]

I contacted Intuit support, and the agent confirmed that an IP PIN is assigned to one of my dependents but couldn't specify which one. My dependents then logged into their accounts on the IRS site, and one of them found that an IP PIN had indeed been assigned without their knowledge. I entered the PIN for that dependent in TurboTax, re-filed the tax return, and it was accepted.

[NCperson]

@Customer99 that IP PIN will be attached to the SSN "forever".  There are very few ways of getting it removed.

A new IP PIN is mailed in January each year and it comes in a discreet envelope. Suggest watching what you believe is "junk" mail in January - otherwise the same problem is going to occur. 

[Surferdude56]

We have our IRS pin now and would like to add it to our E-File and resubmit our taxes

[VolvoGirl]

there are two separate PIN numbers that may be on your tax return. If your PIN has six digits, it's an IP PIN. Here's where to enter it:

1. Sign in to TurboTax Online.
2. Select Other Tax Situations.
3. Select Start or Update to the right of Identity Protection PIN.
4. Answer the first question Yes.
5. Select Add to the right of your name.
6. Enter the number on the next screen.
7. Continue your tax return.

[CnMedina]

I filed a joint reurn for 12/2024 that has been rejected. One of the individuals on the return successfully obtained a PIN from IRS as was required.  Upon completion of the return, Turbotax rejected the six number PIN that had been issued.. PIN provided by Turbotax was used instead and the return has been rejected.  I tried to correct it but have been unable to get to the page that would allow me to do so  I've even tried by going through every page of the return as was completed, with no success. I would sincerely appreciate your expeditious assistance.  Thank you.

CnMedina

[CatinaT1]

The IP Pin will change each and every year. This is an Identity Protection Pin. 

You can get an Identity Protection pin here, or if you lost your IP PIN, you can go here to Retrieve IP PIN. 

Here's how you can fix a reject: 

Sign in to your account and select the Fix my return button. Follow any “fix it” instructions to update the information causing the rejection. 

Note: Not all rejections will have explicit guides to fix the information. You’ll need to navigate to the program area to address the cause of the rejection. 

Time-saving Tip: If what you originally entered is correct, you won't be able to e-file. There's probably a data mismatch at the government, a dependent that's already been claimed, or some other situation beyond your control that prevents your return from being e-filed. In this case, your only option would be to print and mail in your return. This article will give you instruction on how to print and mail your return. 

Additional reject instruction here.