The IRS has instituted a new tactic to add to your confusion and pressure. The IRS is sending out special IP PIN numbers to specific taxpayers. You must have this IP PIN letter to e-file your tax return. Otherwise, you are forced to mail in your tax return to the IRS.
The IRS has hired 80,000 new personnel. They are untrained and unsupervised. They do not know or care about you or when you may receive your refund. Also, we have found in a number of cases the IP PIN letter is not actually ever sent out. So basically, you are blocked from ever e-filing your tax return.
So, if you are anticipating a refund, you will have a long wait.
It takes the IRS six months or longer to process a paper tax return. Sometimes the IRS simply loses the copy of the tax return you sent them. All this makes for a difficult time for you.
So, what can you do?
If you do get an IP PIN letter with a special number make a copy of it and deliver it to your tax professional. Don’t throw the letter out. Keep the IPIN letter safe in a good location where you can easily find it! Our experience has shown that if we have a correct IPIN number the efile does go through just fine. If you are married your spouse will get their own IPIN.
This is just a heads up for you! The IRS has a whole wing that deals with IP PIN numbers. Don’t drive up to the IRS office and expect to get your IP PIN either. They will not release it to you. Actually at the IRS office in Houston, Texas hundreds of taxpayers went there to try to file their taxes ( possibly because they didn’t have their IP PIN) and the police had to close the IRS office because some taxpayers got into a fight (frustration likely). So that is not a good solution for you either.
In general, it is never a good idea to visit the IRS office. The untrained and unsupervised personnel there are not going to help you at all. It is viewed as an opportunity to take action against you!