Each year, the IRS issues CP01A notices that have a unique 6-digit IP PIN with instructions on how to use it.  Recipients of Notice CP01A don’t need to file a Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, unless you as a recipient experience an identity theft incident after you received a notice CP01A.

Taxpayers who receive a CP01A “We Assigned You an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number” to file their taxes, may notice a change in the way the IP PINs are mailed this year.

The IRS is piloting the use of a security self-mailer.  Security self-mailers have perforated borders that recipients remove to open the correspondence.  Approximately 70% of those who receive the IP PIN will receive them in the new format.  Some of these notices will include a survey which will help determine the effectiveness of the pilot.  The IRS is working to make correspondence safer and more secure ensuring the protection of taxpayer data remains a top priority.

The way the IP PIN is used for tax return filing will not change.