PTIN Renewal Extension?

[Lion]

Address

You have to match your address to your last tax return -- filed more than eight weeks ago, so for me it was 2008 -- to verify your identity. And, you have to provide them with a permanent mailing address. However, they don't refer to your original PTIN application at all.

Do remove all punctuation, except they do want the hyphen in nine-digit Zips but not in telephone numbers!

[bgiez]

Argh!

I attempted to file at the end of September, but never got the email with the password -
I guess because I use gmail. That gmail is a problem seems strange because it has no problem letting through all the various IRS mailing lists I subscribe to. In fact, even though I never got the original email, I did get an email reminder that my application was started but not completed. Unfortunately the reminder was automatically routed to the folder were all of those IRS mailing list emails go and I don't read those on a daily basis, at least during the off season.

So, to make a long story longer, at the end of November I went back and completed the application and the $64.25 was charged to my credit card the same day. However the screen that tells me my application is complete also tells me to select "View
PDF Summary Report" to print a copy for my records. I would love to, however there is nowhere to select that. And I've been checking the status every day and the status still shows as open.

As I type, I have been on hold with the "help" line for 90 minutes and it's now past their office hours. Do I hang on or do I hang up? At one point the muzak played "Auld Lang Syne." Is the IRS trying to tell me something?

BTW, I've had my PTIN since 1999, when they were first offered.

[JohnH]

I got a letter from IRS today, reminding me that I need to re-register my old PIN before preparing any returns next year. I haven't heard any discussion about receiving reminder letters - has everybody who had an old PIN been getting them, or do I just occupy a special place in IRS's heart?

[bgiez]

Argh! update

I got through to the help line this morning after only about a 5 minute wait, and was told it takes 5-7 business days to get the PTIN re-registered. I guess, since it's been 5 business days already, I won't expect to see my PTIN until Thursday. :-(

John - I remember reading that the IRS would be mailing the reminder letters out in waves (i.e. not all at once).

[thomtax]

I got a letter from IRS today, reminding me that I need to re-register my old PIN before preparing any returns next year. I haven't heard any discussion about receiving reminder letters - has everybody who had an old PIN been getting them, or do I just occupy a special place in IRS's heart?

I received 2 different (same card) post cards that I had registered and then later received the letter reminding me that I needed to register.

LT

[Jiggers]

PTIN Renewal

One thing I learned at a recent seminar is that the IRS sub-contracted this PTIN registration to a company in Ireland.

A foreign company.

With all the unemployed in the US, and in the tech industry, the IRS couldn't find someone in the US to do this?

And the original intent of the PTIN was to safeguard our SS numbers from being disclosed, as they used to be on the tax return.

Now we had to disclose our SS number and other personal stuff to a foreign company?

And the fools "forgot" to request our original PTIN which would have really helped in the registration process.

[RitaB]

Lol

I received 2 different (same card) post cards that I had registered and then later received the letter reminding me that I needed to register.

That sounds about right.

[Lion]

PTINs

Update on Processing of Forms W-12

The IRS has informed NATP that there are currently about 27,000 Forms W-12 still waiting to be processed. The majority of applications are being processed within four to six weeks. Approximately 1,700 forms are over six weeks old. Processing has been attempted but not completed on these forms because the information submitted does not match IRS records. Before rejecting any applications, the IRS is making a careful comparison of the information to ensure rejection is valid.

Applicants are encouraged to carefully check information when applying for PTINs online or on paper. IRS analysis indicates many of the applications they have been unable to process have included incorrect SSNs and dates of birth. In addition, even after the IRS corrected a programming problem involving spouses on joint returns with different last names, the largest percentage of mismatches continues to be related to the last name. Applicants should review their last income tax return and enter their name exactly as it appeared.

Payments with paper PTIN applications are not cashed until processing is completed. Any preparer who has a paper Form W-12 pending may still opt to register online at any time. If a preparer does this, when his or her paper application is processed, the system will determine that a PTIN has already been issued online, and the paper form and voided payment will be returned.

The IRS has also updated its FAQ page with the following:

I sent in a paper Form W-12 and my check has not been cashed. What should I do? (updated 12/10/10)

Unlike tax returns, we will not process your payment until a PTIN has been issued. You will receive a letter in the mail when your application is processed. If you included an email address on your W-12, you will be notified via email when your application is processed.

If you have a paper Form W-12 pending, you may still opt to go ahead and register online at any time. Your paper form and payment will be returned to you.

[taxea]

If you wait to the last minute and there's problems and you don't get your PTIN number until February 1st, I would think that would be a major problem.

If you efile the only problem is you can't file any returns until you get it. In that case I wouldn't take payment on any returns until you have it.

[Burke]

I got a letter from IRS today, reminding me that I need to re-register my old PIN before preparing any returns next year. I haven't heard any discussion about receiving reminder letters - has everybody who had an old PIN been getting them, or do I just occupy a special place in IRS's heart?

No, I got that same letter. I think if you had a PTIN, that letter was sent out if it had not been re- registered in the new system yet. Just posted on the board that I mailed mine 11/1 and got the confirmation that it had been accepted (got my old number) via email on 12/23. I do not believe they will try to enforce the testing rule if the app was in their queue before 12/31. It's not the preparer's fault if they couldn't get it done by the deadline. If they try to, I would throw up a hue and cry to my congressional rep.