All about Self-Select PIN

What is the point of electronically filing your federal and state income tax return if you still have to send in a signature page? Well, you no longer have to due to IRS’s self-select pin process. Just what is this Self-Select PIN? In short, it is a digital signature, thus eliminating paper all together in the tax filing process.

This process was implemented by the IRS to allow most taxpayers to file their tax return without having to mail in the IRS Form 8453-OL. You simply choose a 5 digit number as your pin, and it can be any five numbers except all zeros. In addition to the PIN, you will also need to submit the Date of Birth information and Prior year Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) OR prior year PIN. The last 2 pieces of information is very vital and it has to match the IRS records exactly, if it doesn’t then your income tax return will be rejected. This is the most common reason for a tax return being rejected by the IRS. If you filed a joint return last year and are filing a joint return this year, AGI or prior year PIN is the SAME for both the husband and spouse.

There any difference between the Self-Select PIN method and the Form 8453-OL approach? No, they are both the same, your e-filed return is treated exactly the same by the IRS regardless of what method you choose. Mailing in the 8453-OL Form does NOT slow down your refund. You must understand the fact that the ONLY benefit of using the Self-Select PIN is that you do not need to mail in the 8453-OL signature form. Online Tax Pros gives you the option to either use or not to use this feature, as this process is only a matter of preference. Online Tax Pros recommends that you use this process but it is not required. Not using the Self-Select PIN method will not delay your refund.

What if you want to use this service but you do not have your prior year AGI or PIN? Well, the answer to that question is very simple and only a call away. You can actually call the IRS over the telephone determine what your prior year AGI or PIN was. It doesn’t get any simpler than that.

What if I don’t want to use this Self-Select PIN method and choose to use the 8453-OL? And where and when do I get the Declaration Control Number (DCN) required for this form? When your income tax return is accepted as completed, you will be able to obtain the DCN from our website. You simply have to logon to your account and check the summary page to find the DCN. And for your own convenience, Online Tax Pros provides you the service of making the 8453-OL form readily available for you to print out and mail-in. Yes, the form will be already pre-filled out with all your information and all you have to do it print it, sign it and mail it.

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