Hey all, it’s that time of year again. PTIN Renewal time!! Each year the IRS requires preparers of federal tax forms to renew their PTIN. You can check out our step by step PTIN Update Instructions here for a refresher of what the process looks like, but there seem to be a few changes this year.
Update IRS PTIN Account Email
First, The IRS sent out an email where they REPEATEDLY stated, you can change your email address if you want. They don’t care if you use your personal email, or a work email, just so long as you check it for PTIN related news.
To change your email, just login, and click the button to “Edit Login Information” on the top right. It looks like this, and it’s pretty self explanatory from there.
If you can’t login, don’t forget the IRS puts all the helpful tools right on the login screen. I always start by clicking the “forgot user ID” link, then I move on to the forgotten password link, and away I go!! The emails can take 20+ minutes each to arrive, but it’s actually a pretty easy process and considering the penalties and interest it can SAVE you from, it seems pretty worth it to me!!
PTIN Renewal is Free?
Second, there may be some changes to the fee this year. As in, there may not be a fee this year.
Read here for details straight from the horse’s mouth.
IRS statement and FAQs here: https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/irs-reopening-preparer-tax-identification-number-ptin-system
IRS PTIN Lawsuit
There was a class action lawsuit filed against the IRS, saying they couldn’t charge for a PTIN number. The courts upheld the IRS’s authority to insist on a PTIN for all return preparers, but said they couldn’t charge for the PTIN. So it’s likely that your PTIN application will be free this year, but even if it’s not, you will need to renew your PTIN to keep filing Form 2290, or any other Federal tax form in 2018. PTINS are still required, and the IRS e-file system does check for them.
The class action website here: www.ptinclassaction.com
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Written by Casey Bullard