To a thief, your personal identity is a gold mine. That’s why the IRS is reminding the public of a free, opt-in program you can use to help protect yourself from tax-related identity theft. It’s an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN). An IP PIN is a six-digit number that “prevents someone else from filing a tax return using your Social Security number,” and is “available to anyone who can verify their identity,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. Taxpayers can obtain an IP PIN only for themselves. The IRS urges everyone not to share their IP PIN with anyone other than their trusted tax preparer. Here’s more. For questions, contact the Cg Team. © 2021