Tax season can be a stressful time, but it’s also an opportunity to maximize your financial security in order to protect your taxes from identity theft. Tax identity theft is a growing concern in the United States, and as technology advances so do the potential for criminals to access your personal information. Fortunately, there are ways to safeguard your taxes from identity theft and secure peace of mind throughout tax season. Understanding the risks and taking proactive steps to protect yourself is key in preventing any potential data breaches. True IRS Communication about Tax Information is Always Via USPS The first tip to protect your taxes from identity theft is to remember that any true IRS communication is going to come through the United States Postal Service. You will never get texts, emails, social media communication, or automated or representative calls. Watch Your Credit Get a credit monitoring service and check it faithfully. Often, the first signs of identity theft, tax-based or otherwise, will pop up on those frequent credit reports. When you see those changes, you can then take immediate action to lock down your accounts and safeguard other sensitive information that may not have been stolen yet. Keep Personal Information Private Numbers and account information for key business, personal, and financial information should always be kept private whenever possible. Your Social Security number (SSN), Tax Identification Number (TIN), and other sensitive information can easily be stolen if you are carrying it around with you, either in a physical card or as a digital copy on your smartphone, tablet, or another electronic device. Most often, this type of information is stolen when you choose to share it with someone you trust. Your spouse should not be keeping a digital record of your SSN, for example, without having that information password protected. Even writing the information down for a friend (in an emergency or some unexpected …
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