The Internal Revenue Service is urging taxpayers who plan to file early in 2027 to request an Identity Protection PIN before its online system becomes unavailable for annual maintenance in mid-November. The agency says the system is generally available again beginning in mid-January.
The request was part of an October 22 reminder about protecting tax information. An IP PIN is a six-digit number intended to stop someone else from filing a federal return using another person’s Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number.
The IRS says taxpayers can obtain an IP PIN as a preventive step even if they have not experienced identity theft and even if they are not required to file a federal return. Its Individual Online Account provides access after identity verification.
That account may contain recent returns, refund status, payment information, records, notices and service requests. The agency says sign-in details should not be shared, because access can expose sensitive financial and identity information.
Taxpayers should disclose an IP PIN only to a trusted tax professional when preparing and submitting the return. The IRS says it will not call, email, text or contact a taxpayer through social media to ask for the PIN.
The maintenance schedule is described by the agency in general terms rather than as a precise shutdown date. People planning an early return should use the official IRS request process and check current availability instead of responding to unsolicited messages offering to obtain a PIN.
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