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IRS PPS Requiring Practitioner SS# and DOB?!

  • 1.  IRS PPS Requiring Practitioner SS# and DOB?!

    Bronze Most Valuable Member
    Posted 01-03-2018 11:03 AM
    ​I just hung up with the IRS Practitioner Priority Service after being asked for MY social security number and date of birth, in addition to my CAF #, for confirmation.  Agent said this was a new verification required starting today.  Anyone?​

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    Honorine Campisi CPA
    SANDRA G. JOHNSON, CPA
    Bellmore NY
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  • 2.  RE: IRS PPS Requiring Practitioner SS# and DOB?!

    Platinum Most Valuable Member
    Posted 01-03-2018 03:23 PM
    Honorine,
    NCCPAPs Tax Committee is meeting as I write. According to our IRS experts, they do not have the right to do this. I will update you with information as I get it. 
    Sandy

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    Sandra Johnson CPA
    SANDRA G. JOHNSON, CPA
    Bellmore NY
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: IRS PPS Requiring Practitioner SS# and DOB?!

    Platinum Most Valuable Member
    Posted 01-04-2018 02:08 PM
    As a follow up to this discussion, NCCPAP is at our quarterly meeting in FL. Carl Peterson from the AICPA presented this afternoon and answered this question for us. 
    The IRS representative has the right to ask additional questions to verify that we are who we say we are, including asking for our SSN and DOB. 
    No one at this meeting is happy with that. Why do we have a CAF#?  Why do we have a PTIN?  To protect our personal information. 
    NCCPAP has brought this question to the IRS already and we are awaiting an answer. 
    I will keep you informed of any new information I receive.

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    Sandra Johnson CPA
    SANDRA G. JOHNSON, CPA
    Bellmore NY
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: IRS PPS Requiring Practitioner SS# and DOB?!

    Bronze Most Valuable Member
    Posted 01-03-2018 05:51 PM
    I've already sent an email to our local IRS Stakeholder Liaison, Linda Henson, in my position as Chair of the IRS Practitioner Liaison Group. I'll let you know what I find out.

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    Yvonne Cort
    Partner
    Capell Barnett Matalon & Schoenfeld LLP
    Jericho NY
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: IRS PPS Requiring Practitioner SS# and DOB?!

    Platinum Most Valuable Member
    Posted 01-03-2018 06:06 PM

    I for one am always disappointed at the hold time. 

    So if they are trying to screen improper use of the service by non-practitioners, perhaps it will relieve some of the wait time.

     

     

     

     

    Abby Alhante,  CPA

     

    Kurcias  & Alhante, LLC  CPAs

    525 Broadhollow Road   Suite 104

    Melville NY  11747

    516.829-5890  Fax 516-829-3976

    Mobile 516-381-9301

    AbbyA@KurciasAlhanteCPAs.com

    ( E mail response preferred )

     




    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: IRS PPS Requiring Practitioner SS# and DOB?!

    Posted 01-04-2018 10:00 AM

    Reduction in wait time?  Is the CAF# inadequate for practitioner screening purposes?  What do the SS# and DOB accomplish, other than add 2 more questions plus further invasion?

     

    A simpler verification question could be:  What is the e-File acceptance confirmation number for the return.  Only the ERO will have this.   

     

    Regards,

    David

    David Vishnia, CPA

    David@VishniaCPA.com">David@VishniaCPA.com




    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: IRS PPS Requiring Practitioner SS# and DOB?!

    Bronze Most Valuable Member
    Posted 01-05-2018 09:46 AM
    ​Thank you to NCCPAP for looking into this!

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    Honorine Campisi CPA
    SANDRA G. JOHNSON, CPA
    Bellmore NY
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: IRS PPS Requiring Practitioner SS# and DOB?!

    Bronze Most Valuable Member
    Posted 01-08-2018 02:36 PM
    I have an update from our IRS Stakeholder Liaison. Apparently there have been complaints and inquiries from practitioners across the country about the intrusive new verification procedures. Stakeholder Liaison is waiting for an official response regarding how to respond to practitioners and actions to be taken. 
    Personally, I think it is an invasion of privacy and also exposes practitioners to an increased risk of identity theft. 
    I'll post the IRS official response when I receive it.

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    Yvonne Cort
    Partner
    Capell Barnett Matalon & Schoenfeld LLP
    Jericho NY
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    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: IRS PPS Requiring Practitioner SS# and DOB?!

    Bronze Most Valuable Member
    Posted 01-08-2018 02:40 PM
    ​Yvonne

    Thank you for following up--much appreciated

    Hope you are doing well!!

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    Scott Sanders CPA
    GETTRY MARCUS CPA, PC
    Woodbury NY
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    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: IRS PPS Requiring Practitioner SS# and DOB?!

    Bronze Most Valuable Member
    Posted 01-10-2018 06:26 AM
    In the Journal of Accountancy!!!

    IRS asking for taxpayer representatives' personal information

    By Alistair M. Nevius
    January 9, 2018

     

    Taxpayer representatives are now being asked for their Social Security number and date of birth, in addition to their Centralized Authorization File (CAF) number, so that IRS agents can verify their identity when they call the IRS. The new questions result from an updated version of Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) Section 21.1.3.3, which took effect Jan. 3.

    IRM Section 21.1.3.3, titled "Third Party (POA/TIA/F706) Authentication," instructs IRS agents on how to "complete the appropriate research" to verify the identity of taxpayer representatives who indicate that they have a third-party authorization on file with the IRS, such as Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative, or Form 8821, Tax Information Authorization. In the previous version of IRM Section 21.1.3.3, updated in October 2017, agents were told to ask the representative for the taxpayer's name and taxpayer identification number (TIN), for the tax period and forms in question, and for the representative's name and CAF number.

    Under the updated procedures, however, the agent requests the representative's Social Security number and date of birth as well. An IRS representative says this is being done to protect taxpayer information and mitigate risk to practitioners.

    Although the new IRM section is not yet available on the IRS's website, its existence has been verified by IRS personnel. The IRS says it plans to communicate the changes to practitioners in the near future.

    - Alistair M. Nevius (Alistair.Nevius@aicpa-cima.com) is the JofA's editor-in-chief, tax.



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    Scott Sanders CPA
    GETTRY MARCUS CPA, PC
    Woodbury NY
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    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: IRS PPS Requiring Practitioner SS# and DOB?!

    Platinum Most Valuable Member
    Posted 01-10-2018 06:38 AM
    Edited by Robert Brown 01-10-2018 06:40 AM


    Original Message:
    Sent: 01-08-2018 14:35
    From: Yvonne Cort
    Subject: IRS PPS Requiring Practitioner SS# and DOB?!

    I have an update from our IRS Stakeholder Liaison. Apparently there have been complaints and inquiries from practitioners across the country about the intrusive new verification procedures. Stakeholder Liaison is waiting for an official response regarding how to respond to practitioners and actions to be taken.
    Personally, I think it is an invasion of privacy and also exposes practitioners to an increased risk of identity theft.
    I'll post the IRS official response when I receive it.

    ------------------------------
    Yvonne Cort
    Partner
    Capell Barnett Matalon & Schoenfeld LLP
    Jericho NY

    Original Message:
    Sent: 01-03-2018 17:51
    From: Yvonne Cort
    Subject: IRS PPS Requiring Practitioner SS# and DOB?!

    I've already sent an email to our local IRS Stakeholder Liaison, Linda Henson, in my position as Chair of the IRS Practitioner Liaison Group. I'll let you know what I find out.

    ------------------------------
    Yvonne Cort
    Partner
    Capell Barnett Matalon & Schoenfeld LLP
    Jericho NY

    Original Message:
    Sent: 01-03-2018 11:03
    From: Honorine Campisi
    Subject: IRS PPS Requiring Practitioner SS# and DOB?!

    ​I just hung up with the IRS Practitioner Priority Service after being asked for MY social security number and date of birth, in addition to my CAF #, for confirmation.  Agent said this was a new verification required starting today.  Anyone?​

    ------------------------------
    Honorine Campisi CPA
    SANDRA G. JOHNSON, CPA
    Bellmore NY
    ------------------------------


  • 12.  RE: IRS PPS Requiring Practitioner SS# and DOB?!

    Bronze Most Valuable Member
    Posted 01-10-2018 01:21 PM
    The official response from the IRS has been posted on "ncCPAp on the GO!"  If anyone wants the text, I can email you a copy. The IRS position is that providing our personal information, specifically the practitioner's SSN and DOB, is necessary to protect the taxpayers we represent.
    Our local IRS Stakeholder Liaison, Linda Henson, is empathetic to our concerns, and would welcome feedback and suggestions for alternative methods for PPS verification. Feel free to email me and I will pass them on to her to forward to the appropriate recipients. 

    Yvonne Cort
    Chair, IRS Practitioner Liaison Group

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    Yvonne Cort
    Partner
    Capell Barnett Matalon & Schoenfeld LLP
    Jericho NY
    ycort@cbmslaw.com
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    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: IRS PPS Requiring Practitioner SS# and DOB?!

    Bronze Most Valuable Member
    Posted 01-11-2018 10:08 AM
    Thanks Yvonne for helping us.

    Just a few thoughts as to other ways of verifying our identity.

    1) PTIN (wasn't this created in order to remove our SS# from tax returns?)
    2) Same procedure as identity theft in which we would be mailed a unique number by the IRS at the beginning of tax season.
    3) Create a profile with security questions with personal info (pet's name, etc) as many banks do now for online access. 

    Uncommon times call for common sense.  Thanks again for your help.





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    Robert Messa
    R.L. Messa CPA
    Jericho NY
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    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: IRS PPS Requiring Practitioner SS# and DOB?!

    Bronze Most Valuable Member
    Posted 01-11-2018 11:36 AM
    Thanks for your comments and suggestions. I'll make sure the IRS receives them.

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    Yvonne Cort
    Partner
    Capell Barnett Matalon & Schoenfeld LLP
    Jericho NY
    ycort@cbmslaw.com
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    Original Message


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The opinions expressed are the views of the author alone and should not be attributed to any other individual or entity and shall not constitute an accounting opinion.