IRS urges taxpayers to strengthen identity theft protections before 2027 filing season

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IRS identity theft protection tips

Highlights

IRS urges taxpayers to secure Individual Online Account sign-in details as they contain sensitive tax records and payment information.
Taxpayers should request an Identity Protection PIN before mid-November 2026, as the online system will be unavailable for annual maintenance until mid-January 2027.
IRS emphasizes that IP PINs help prevent unauthorized tax filings and warns against sharing these with anyone except a trusted tax professional.

Account security steps and filing timeline

As reported by Internal Revenue Service, taxpayers are being reminded not to share sign-in details for their IRS Individual Online Account, which can contain sensitive information including recently filed returns, refund status, payments, tax records, notifications and service requests.

After verifying their identity, taxpayers can use the online account to review tax information and complete certain tax-related tasks. IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank J. Bisignano says protecting sensitive financial information is essential to preventing unauthorized access to confidential tax data and online services.

Taxpayers planning to file early in 2027 are being advised to request an Identity Protection PIN before the online system becomes unavailable for annual maintenance in mid-November. The system is generally available again beginning in mid-January.

Identity PIN use and taxpayer safeguards

An Identity Protection PIN, or IP PIN, is a six-digit number that helps prevent someone else from filing a federal tax return using another taxpayer's Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number. The IRS says the number is known only to the taxpayer and the agency, and it can be requested even by people who are not required to file a federal tax return.

The agency is also warning taxpayers to protect the PIN once it is issued and share it only with a trusted tax professional when they are ready to prepare and submit a federal return. The IRS says it will never call, email, text or contact taxpayers through social media to request their IP PIN.

Our earlier article on Cohere’s planned acquisition of AI cybersecurity startup AISLE explained how the deal would add vulnerability detection capabilities to Cohere’s broader AI push alongside its combination with Aleph Alpha. We noted that the move strengthens enterprise and public-sector security offerings and expands the group’s European footprint through AISLE’s Prague engineering hub.

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