The Internal Revenue Service has issued IR-2019-118 warning taxpayers who use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to file their tax return and payments to check their records and determine if a renewal application should be filed before the end of 2019.

An ITIN is used when the person filing a tax return or payment is not eligible for a Social Security number. An ITIN will expire at defined dates depending on the number assigned and will also expire if the number is not used at least once in the last three consecutive years.

Renewing an ITIN is done by filing IRS Form W-7, including any required documentation.

The IRS says a federal return submitted in 2020 with an ITIN expired as of December 31, 2019, will be processed, but certain items included within the return will be disallowed. Therefore, if a refund is anticipated, it will not be sent out until the expired ITIN is renewed.

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