This tax season was a bit of an eye opener. There were a few clients that had received an additional PIN number from the IRS because their privacy had been compromised.
We were also made aware of a client whose employer’s information was compromised and they would be forced to mail in their returns. This also affected their adult children, the company’s medical information had been compromised and the kids had recently been covered by their parent coverage. So their personal data was compromised. We had the privilege of letting them know that piece of information.
I am uncertain how much security an additional 5 digit code will be, but it is yet another hurdle to thwart tax fraud. But since Social Security numbers are so available maybe issuing them to everyone would be beneficial for everyone.