Now that taxes are done, it's time to check your credit reports

Tax season is over. The flurry of 1099, w-2 and e-filing has ended. Before you block out all tax thoughts for another 11 months, take a few minutes to think about tax related identity theft.

How many people had access to your sensitive financial information over the last few months? Your postal delivery person certainly did. And your employer. And your tax preparer. And the preparer's secretary. And possibly even the preparer's janitor.

It's possible that 10 or 20 people had access to your Social Security number and other financial data during tax season. All it takes is one person out of those 20 to steal your identity and wreck havoc on your credit. Identity thieves love tax season!

Before your seal up your 2005 tax records, order all three of your credit reports online to ensure that your financial information has not been misused. Look for unusual inquiries, new accounts, address changes and other suspicious activity on each report.

Have you experienced identity theft this tax season? Are you worried about the privacy of your financial records? Share your feedback in the comments section below.