Level 3

Question

Reject code for a dependent

Forum|Forum|3 months ago
March 25, 2026
5 replies
31 views

Has anyone had a return get rejected because the dependent was claimed on another return? This has happened twice this tax season. The children are biologically their children and there is no way any other person claimed them on their return (not divorced, no split-custody). Is this an IRS issue or a Proseries issues, you think? I am having them paper file and get a PIN for them for the future but it's odd....

ProSeries Professional

BobKamman

Level 15

How old are the kids? Is this the first year they had a job and received a W-2? Did they learn in class how to file a tax return online?

J

Jtax LLCAuthor

Level 3

The first one it happened on was 8 years old. The second one was 7. So it couldn't be that...

BobKamman

Level 15

Sounds like identity theft then.

taxiowa

Level 8

They do not have to paper file 2025 tax return. If you did not read the reject notice give it to the taxpayers and maybe they can read it. Especially the last paragraph.

J

Jtax LLCAuthor

Level 3

I have a question regarding IRS IP PINs and timing. The notice instructs the taxpayer to go online and obtain an IP PIN, but in this situation the return has already been filed using that Social Security number.

How does obtaining an IP PIN now apply for the current filing season if the return has already been accepted? My understanding was that IP PINs are preventative and apply to future filings rather than retroactively.

For those of you who have encountered this scenario, have you seen cases where a taxpayer obtained an IP PIN after filing and it still had an impact for the current year? Or is this strictly something that will only apply going forward?

Appreciate any insight or real-world experience on this

taxiowa

Level 8

This will require the dependent to have an IP Pin attached to their ssn every year for the rest of their lives, but that is not a bad thing.

This number changes every year and is mailed out every January, but the IRS makes it fairly easy to retrieve the IP PIN if they don't get the letter or misplace the number. Having an IP PIN prevents anyone from filing a return for them or with them included on a return so it prevents a lot of future headaches, especially with all the identity theft that happens.

Each dependent needs their own separate IRS online account because IP PINs are issued to individuals. The parent/guardian can manage the process, but the IP PIN is tied specifically to the dependent’s SSN/ITIN and must be entered on the tax return.

Here is the process for the parent/guardian:

Parents can use their own IRS account to request a PIN for a child, but they must verify the child's identity, or they can use Form 15227.
If they cannot create an account for them, they can request an IP PIN by mail using Form 15227.
Once obtained, the dependent’s unique 6-digit IP PIN must be entered on their tax return when they claim them.

@IntuitCatinaT (Definately not an Expert as she claims)

You do not understand what is happening in this case. The dependent is not filing a return. The parent(s) need an identity PIN not the child. Why is everyone making this so hard. Parents need PIN!!!

It happens. An ex claims child or someone makes a mistake and claims them. But it is not the kid who needs the PIN.

A

anniebear

Level 5

It’s definitely an IRS issue. Proseries does not match SSN numbers.

someone got hold of their info it sounds like.

T

Terry53029

Intuit Community Champion

@taxiowa is correct in my case it was the TP that got the PIN, not his dependent

hcliston

Level 5

Yes. This just happened to me twice today. In both cases, the parents are married so nobody is competing to claim the dependent, the children are under 8 years old, there are no typos in the names or Social Security numbers for the children. And yet their returns were rejected and I got notices that "A dependent on your return has already been claimed on another tax return for this year." I suspect a software glitch, as there is NO reason to think one of these families would be the victim of identity theft, let alone two in one day.

IntuitSusanY1

Level 4

The current rejection stems from the SSN already being flagged as "used" within the IRS database. Because this validation occurs at the agency level after transmission, neither our local software nor the intermediary servers have a mechanism to preemptively detect the match. The issue lies solely in the IRS/SSA database.

Given the unfortunate rise in identity theft, encountering multiple occurrences in a single day, while rare, is certainly possible. However, if this trend persists, it would be prudent to conduct a thorough audit of your local servers and hardware to rule out a localized data breach.

Should you determine that a security incident has occurred, please ensure you follow the protocols outlined in your Written Information Security Plan (WISP). As you know, the IRS and state agencies will require documentation of these procedures in the event of an inquiry.

In the meantime, obtaining an IPPIN for the primary taxpayer will allow you to efile the return.

@hcliston

Sign up

Login with SSO

Let's get you signed in

Login with SSO

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded