IRS.Gov Login Access Changing

[scrabbler1]

Are any of you aware that in a few days the IRS is getting rid of its irs.gov login access and allowing only ID.me access? This really rots.

I don't have a webcam and I don't have a smart phone, so I can't provide any verification of my identity which will meet the requirement of ID.me. So, my ability to access my online account with the IRS goes away. It was handy to have it the last few years so I could monitor activity regarding my tax returns, refunds, and payments, including a more convenient method of paying my tax bills on line.

Oh well, it was good while it lasted.

 

[Sunset]

You don't have a tablet or laptop with camera built in ?

This issue of digital divide, is really hitting some seniors. Folks get discounts on gas, groceries, etc, unless of course you don't have a smart phone and are adept at using it.
Then you just pay extra for [-]everything[/-] an increasing number of things.

 

[bobandsherry]

Are any of you aware that in a few days the IRS is getting rid of its login.gov access and allowing only ID.me access? This really rots.



I don't have a webcam and I don't have a smart phone, so I can't provide any verification of my identity which will meet the requirement of ID.me. So, my ability to access my online account with the IRS goes away. It was handy to have it the last few years so I could monitor activity regarding my tax returns, refunds, and payments, including a more convenient method of paying my tax bills on line.



Oh well, it was good while it lasted.

No friends or family that you can ask to assist with their smart phone or webcam?

 

[Alan]

Are any of you aware that in a few days the IRS is getting rid of its login.gov access and allowing only ID.me access? This really rots.

I don't have a webcam and I don't have a smart phone, so I can't provide any verification of my identity which will meet the requirement of ID.me. So, my ability to access my online account with the IRS goes away. It was handy to have it the last few years so I could monitor activity regarding my tax returns, refunds, and payments, including a more convenient method of paying my tax bills on line.

Oh well, it was good while it lasted.

My son is going through this verification at present because this year he couldn’t e-file his tax return without an IRS issued PIN. (He doesn’t have a State issued drivers license to validate e-filing).

He asked me to print off his utility bill so he can hold it up to the camera as part of the verification process but unfortunately it didn’t match the name on his passport (he has 2 forenames) so I have now printed off one of his phone bills where his name should pass inspection. He will be trying again this week.

 

[COcheesehead]

I posted in another thread the importance of keeping up with technology as we age so we can continue to access things.

Landline <cell phone < smart phone.

 

[badatmath]

Yeah I am not in a rush to submit biometric data to some database. . . Can't exactly get a new face when it gets hacked.

 

[scrabbler1]

I have no laptop or tablet with a webcam. No need for it. No desire for it, either.

I could ask my snake-bit friend (the one I write about in another thread) who has a webcam to help me. I don't really want to get him involved because it would depend on being able to get through to the IRS or ID.me at limited times (when I am there), and I don't want to take away our Scrabble time.

The existing IRS login is already 2FA, so I sign in, give a password, and get a 6-digit code on my cell phone, something I do with several other institutions. Now that's not good enough? Seems pretty strong compared to other, more typical logins which require only a password. If the IRS wants to encourage more use of their online system, they shouldn't make it more costly and difficult to access it.

Nah, it's not worth it to go through all that time, cost (for a smart phone I have no need for), or effort for something I so rarely use (IRS on line account).

 

[Sunset]

Yeah I am not in a rush to submit biometric data to some database. . . Can't exactly get a new face when it gets hacked.

It's probably already in some databases if you have any friends that use facebook

 

[easysurfer]

I've been going through ID verification hell recently trying to help a sibling that's in a nursing home. Funny as a couple of the solutions when all else fails is to see someone in person (clerk at post office for change of address) or use snail mail (send in forms and copy of photo id for state public aid).

 

[gauss]

Are any of you aware that in a few days the IRS is getting rid of its login.gov access and allowing only ID.me access? This really rots.

I don't have a webcam and I don't have a smart phone, so I can't provide any verification of my identity which will meet the requirement of ID.me. So, my ability to access my online account with the IRS goes away. It was handy to have it the last few years so I could monitor activity regarding my tax returns, refunds, and payments, including a more convenient method of paying my tax bills on line.

Oh well, it was good while it lasted.

I don't think the IRS ever had login.gov setup for mainstream use. I think that you are referring to the legacy irs.gov login that is going away in a week or two.

There have been reports that the IRS is indeed going to setup login.gov as an alternative to id.me. This has not been rolled out yet. In anticipation I have setup a login.gov account and have it secured with my U2F/FIDO2 hardware security key. Since the IRS has not rolled it out yet, I have not gone through the identity verification process, but if I am not mistaken, you may be able to do it via a visit to the U.S Post Office once you have completed the inital steps online. This is one method that thethe Social Security administration is using to verify identities with login.gov.

I hope that the IRS rolls out login.gov not too long after abandoning their legacy login so that I will not have to go through the id.me process. Time will tell.

-gauss

 

[scrabbler1]

Also, I have never seen any instance of a discount I had to forgo because I lacked a smart phone.

 

[badatmath]

It's probably already in some databases if you have any friends that use facebook

Ha.

 

[foxfirev5]

One more thing to make me stick to my plan regarding taxes. If I can't access my IRS account so be it. I fill out my paper forms and pay my taxes. If I can no longer pay by my online login it's not my problem. I never have a refund and it all magically resolves itself in the end.

 

[socca]

I couldn't get ID.me to work with my iPhone / Safari. ID.me would text a link so I could take photos of my driver's license, but the link wouldn't work. The workaround was to state that I didn't have a smart phone and upload the driver's license photos manually. ID.me then compared a webcam photo with my driver's license photo and let me proceed. However, to complete the registration I had to type the long URL of a texted "confirmation" link into my computer browser because just clicking on the link on my iPhone didn't work.

The bottom line is that ID.me engineers didn't seem to test their software on iPhones. Maybe Android phones work better?

 

[Koolau]

I couldn't get ID.me to work with my iPhone / Safari. ID.me would text a link so I could take photos of my driver's license, but the link wouldn't work. The workaround was to state that I didn't have a smart phone and upload the driver's license photos manually. ID.me then compared a webcam photo with my driver's license photo and let me proceed. However, to complete the registration I had to type the long URL of a texted "confirmation" link into my computer browser because just clicking on the link on my iPhone didn't work.

The bottom line is that ID.me engineers didn't seem to test their software on iPhones. Maybe Android phones work better?

Remind you of any other gummint software of days gone bye? Heh, heh, beta testing by the public. What could go wrong?

 

[Venturer]

Also, I have never seen any instance of a discount I had to forgo because I lacked a smart phone.

Some instances of losing discounts is in the fast food markets. I see it a lot they will have a "special price" on some item or items if you order in the app. My problem is I often want to go into the store to eat or even to order and I can't get the special by asking for it. It is becoming more prevalent as time goes on. My granddaughter really like Subway turkey sandwiches and a lot of the time they are advertising a special buy one fet 2nd 1/2 price or even BOGO free (in the app) so I just pay full price and then lament about it.

 

[gauss]

Some instances of losing discounts is in the fast food markets. I see it a lot they will have a "special price" on some item or items if you order in the app. My problem is I often want to go into the store to eat or even to order and I can't get the special by asking for it. It is becoming more prevalent as time goes on. My granddaughter really like Subway turkey sandwiches and a lot of the time they are advertising a special buy one fet 2nd 1/2 price or even BOGO free (in the app) so I just pay full price and then lament about it.

One way I frame things like this in my mind is that I scrimpped and saved for many years -- during which this would have really bothered me.

Now that I am FI and passive income exceeds expenses, this is the sort of luxury, "blow that dough" that I can afford.

A few dollars spent to make life easier (ie not jumping through their hoops), is money well spent!

-gauss

p.s. I think that a lot of life's happiness is based on how you frame things in your mind.

 

[COcheesehead]

Also, I have never seen any instance of a discount I had to forgo because I lacked a smart phone.

All the big grocery chains have instant coupon apps. I also use Ibotta. What I have made from Ibotta ($1100 so far) alone is 2X the cost of the phone.

 

[Alan]

My son is going through this IRS account verification at present because this year he couldn’t e-file his tax return without an IRS issued PIN. (He doesn’t have a State issued drivers license to validate e-filing).

He asked me to print off his utility bill so he can hold it up to the camera as part of the verification process but unfortunately it didn’t match the name on his passport (he has 2 forenames) so I have now printed off one of his phone bills where his name should pass inspection. He will be trying again this week.

This also has failed for whatever reason - neither bill lists both his first names exactly as they appear on his tax return which is "First name, middle initial, last name". His bills only have his first name or initial on them.

You can apparently request an IRS PIN via mail but looking at the form there is no provision for a foreign address or phone number (they will call to validate).

So I have printed off his return for him to sign and mail in.

 

[badatmath]

Never heard of discounts for fast food only available on a phone but I have not had fast food in years either.

I am staring at this thread as I wait for my "one time security code" for a site I logged into fine yesterday. I have sent multiple requests over the last 15 minutes and not a one has resulted in a code. I hate how much harder this stuff makes my life. My 3 minute chore has turned into 22 minutes and counting. . . It is funny they always tell you your code will expire in a few minutes but hell it takes more than that to get the codes.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I gave up doing the ID.Me stuff, it was laboriously slow and failed more often than not.

 

[Alan]

I gave up doing the ID.Me stuff, it was laboriously slow and failed more often than not.

Once set up it has worked flawlessly for me, just a PITA to initially set up. DD says it works great for her also. (She lives close by and used my copy of TurboTax to e-file her returns a couple of weeks back so had to log onto her IRS.gov account to request a PIN for filing).

 

[ncbill]

I skipped setting up an account & just use Direct Pay.

Absolutely zero issues with the above.

 

[Alan]

I skipped setting up an account & just use Direct Pay.

Absolutely zero issues with the above.

The problem we expats face is getting an IRS PIN for filing taxes. The paper method (form 15227) doesn’t work because it doesn’t accept an overseas address or a foreign phone number for the call so we have to use an IRS account nowadays to be issued a PIN each year. To get an IRS account is tortuous and needs the id.me authentication app.

 

[pb4uski]

Ah, heck scrabbler1... open up that wallet and get yourself a smartphone. I can highly recommend the Pixel 6a... about $300 at BestBuy. Best phone that I have ever had.