Help! Now What??

[SueBaby]

A client called and informed me he moved from one place to another and a box of 7 years of taxes fell out of his truck and now lost!

What will happen if someone finds that box??? All of SS#s for him and ME were in that box. Plus his banking info and other valuable informations of 7 long years.

I told him that box of importance should have been in the cab or tied down: I was alittle upset about it. Damage already done === SOOOOO WHAT NOW?

[gkaiseril]

File Form W-7P

Did you used a PTIN?

The IRS introduced the use of the Prepared Tax Identification Number, PTIN, for tax year 1999. This allow one to use an IRS assigned ID in place of a preparers SSN. Many state also accept this IRS assigned ID for tax preparers.

For tax year 2010 with the IRS's required registration of paid tax preparers,. You can apply for one with Form W-7P, http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw7p.pdf.

Because of an attempted ID theft using my SSN from forms thrown out by a deceased client's tax forms, I applied for one as soon as the program started.

[SueBaby]

Did you used a PTIN?

The IRS introduced the use of the Prepared Tax Identification Number, PTIN, for tax year 1999. This allow one to use an IRS assigned ID in place of a preparers SSN. Many state also accept this IRS assigned ID for tax preparers.

For tax year 2010 with the IRS's required registration of paid tax preparers,. You can apply for one with Form W-7P, http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw7p.pdf.

Because of an attempted ID theft using my SSN from forms thrown out by a deceased client's tax forms, I applied for one as soon as the program started.

Yes, I have had PTIN for years; but upset about all paperwork in hands of a stranger dealing with our SS#s now.

[Bees Knees]

Yes, I have had PTIN for years; but upset about all paperwork in hands of a stranger dealing with our SS#s now.

If you have been using a PTIN for all of those years, no stranger is going to have your SSN. Only your client's.

His problem...not yours.

[SueBaby]

If you have been using a PTIN for all of those years, no stranger is going to have your SSN. Only your client's.

His problem...not yours.

Whew! Thanks kinda got worried there. You're right ==how comforting now that I settled down about it. Now I can have a good day . Thanks for reminding me that.

[SueBaby]

Whew! Thanks kinda got worried there. You're right ==how comforting now that I settled down about it. Now I can have a good day . Thanks for reminding me that.

PS just looked back on his records and I had a PTIN# on all but the year 2003.

[JohnH]

I subscribe to MYFICO credit monitoring service, and it gives me lots of peace of mind. I get a weekly update on my score and it alerts me any time an account is opened or any other activity takes place on my account. IMO, it's well worth the $130 annual cost.

Like most others, I obtained the PTIN when it first came out and haven't used my SSAN since then. But there are lots of returns going back many years prior to 1999 that have my SSAN, and one never knows when a client dies, moves and loses info, or just lets something fall into the wrong hands when they discard old files. Anyone who has been preparing tax returns for more than 12 years should just accept the fact that their SSAN is out there somehwhere ust waiting for some indentity thief to snatch it up, and take the necessary precautions.

[Burke]

Plus the fact that if you are 65 or over, your SSN is on your Medicare card which you hand to every doctor, hospital, clinic, etc in the neighborhood. And they usually make a copy!

[veritas]

Another potential problem

My federal ID number is on every return we prepare.

Pretty sure someone once tried to use it with our company name to get cell phone service. Fortunately the service provider called me to verify the service.