As tax filing season approaches, the IRS reminds taxpayers to be sure they have all the necessary documents for the 2016 tax filing. One of the things that taxpayers should pay attention to is the expiration of the ITIN Numbers.

Any Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN) issued prior to 2013 or that haven’t been used for tax-years 2013, 2014 and 2015 will no longer be valid for use on a tax return as of January 1, 2017. The expired ITIN numbers are those starting with middle digits of 78 and 79 (Example: (9XX-78-XXXX)). The ITINs should be renewed before using on a tax return.

WHAT IS AN ITIN NUMBER?

An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is a tax processing number issued by the Internal Revenue Service. It is a nine-digit number that always begins with the number 9 and has a range of 70-88 in the fourth and fifth digit. ITIN number is usually issues to non-resident taxpayers, such as, spouses of U.S. citizens that opt to file a joint taxreturn.

MY ITIN NUMBER WAS ISSUED PRIOR TO 2013, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Individuals with expiring ITINs who need to file a return in 2017 will need to renew their ITIN. This process typically takes 7 weeks to receive an ITIN assignment letter, but the process can take longer - 9 to 11 weeks if taxpayers wait to submit Form W-7 during the peak filing season, or send it from overseas. In order to speed up the process and prevent any delays in receiving refunds, we encourage our clients to renew their ITIN numbers as soon as possible and notify us.