Does Your Tax ID Number (ITIN) Need to be Renewed?
- Determine if your Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITINs) has expired.
- Find out if the IRS is currently accepting Tax ID number renewal applications.
- Learn about family renewal options.
- Find out how to renew your tax ID number.
- Discover common errors you should avoid.
Do you need to renew your tax ID number (ITIN)? According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), just about 2 million Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) or tax ID numbers expired at the end of 2019. If you have an ITIN, read on and find out if you need to renew.
Tax ID numbers: Why do you need them and when do they expire?
Tax ID numbers are used by people who have tax filing or payment obligations under U.S. law but who are not eligible for a Social Security number. If you have a tax ID number and questions, call Fiducial for help. You can also visit the ITIN information page on the IRS website.
ITINs that have not been used on a federal tax return at least once in the last three consecutive years expired Dec. 31, 2019. In addition, ITINs with middle digits 83, 84, 85, 86 or 87 that have not already been renewed also expired at the end of the year. ITINs with middle digits of 70 through 82 expired in past years. Taxpayers with these ITIN numbers who haven’t already renewed their tax ID number can renew at any time. Note: It is important to understand that ITINs with middle digits 83 through 87 will expire whether or not they were used for filing returns in the last three years.
IRS is currently accepting tax ID number renewal applications
Is submitting a renewal application a must? It is for taxpayers whose tax ID number is expiring and who need to file a tax return in 2020. Federal returns that are submitted in 2020 with an expired ITIN will be processed. However, exemptions and/or certain tax credits will be disallowed, and the taxpayers will be notified by mail advising them to renew their ITIN. Once the tax ID number is renewed, any applicable exemptions and credits will be reinstated, and any applicable refunds issued. Not renewing before submitting your taxes may cause hassles and delays, so renew ASAP!
Family renewal option
Taxpayers with a tax ID number that has middle digits 83, 84, 85, 86 or 87, as well as all previously expired ITINs, have the option to renew ITINs for their entire family at the same time. Those who have received a renewal letter from the IRS can choose to renew the family’s ITINs together, even if family members have an tax ID number with middle digits that have not been identified for expiration. Family members include the tax filer, spouse, and any dependents claimed on the tax return.
How to renew an ITIN
To renew a tax ID number, a taxpayer must complete a Form W-7 and submit all required documentation. Taxpayers submitting a Form W-7 to renew their ITIN are not required to attach a federal tax return. However, taxpayers must still note a reason for needing an ITIN on the Form W-7. See the Form W-7 instructions for detailed information. An application package can be submitted in one of three ways:
- Submit by mail. Send the W-7 along with original identification documents or copies certified by the agency that issued them, to the IRS address listed on the Form W-7 instructions. The IRS will review the identification documents and return them within 60 days.
- Work with Certified Acceptance Agents (CAAs) authorized by the IRS to help taxpayers apply for a tax ID number. CAAs can authenticate all identification documents for primary and secondary taxpayers, verify that an ITIN application is correct before submitting it to the IRS for processing, and authenticate the passports and birth certificates for dependents. This saves taxpayers from mailing original documents to the IRS.
- In advance, call and make an appointment at a designated IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center. You can have each applicant’s identity authenticated in person instead of mailing original identification documents to the IRS. Each family member applying for a tax ID number or renewal must be present at the appointment. They must also have a completed Form W-7 and required identification documents. See the TAC ITIN authentication page on the IRS website for more details.
Common errors to avoid
There are several common errors that can slow down tax ID number renewal applications:
- Mailing identification documentations without a Form W-7,
- Missing information on the Form W-7, and
- Insufficient supporting documentation, such as U.S. residency documentation or official documentation to support name changes.
- The IRS no longer accepts passports that do not have a date of entry into the U.S. as a stand-alone identification document for dependents from a country other than Canada or Mexico, or dependents of U.S. military personnel overseas. A dependent’s passport must have a date of entry stamp, otherwise the following additional documents to prove U.S. residency are required:
o U.S. medical records for dependents under age 6,
o U.S. school records for dependents under age 18, and
o U.S. school records (if a student), rental statements, bank statements or utility bills listing the applicant’s name and U.S. address, if over age 18.
If you have questions or need assistance completing a renewal, call Fiducial at 1-866-FIDUCIAL. You can also make an appointment at one of our office locations. Ready to book an appointment now? Click here. Know someone who might need our services? We love referrals!
