DECLARED DEAD 18 MONTHS AGO, ID.ME IS NOW TOP IRS ID CHECKER:
Posted on Aug. 24, 2023 By Jonathan Curry, Tax Notes
The IRS announced in February 2022 that it was ditching ID.me in response to a wave of criticism about data security, taxpayer privacy, and equal access, and it pledged to find an alternative identityproofing provider.
Eighteen months later, though, the IRS appears to have gone all-in on ID.me, using the federal contractor as its sole identity-proofing service provider while hinting at plans to provide a wider menu of options soon.
The IRS’s strategic operating plan, released in April, describes a plan under Initiative 1.12 to provide additional “initial identity-proofing options” and commits to expanding the number of credentialing service providers in fiscal 2023. The agency doesn’t have a lot of options to pick from, however, because access to the IRS’s online services must meet the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Identity Assurance Level 2 (IAL2).
“As far as we know, we’re the only vendor in the market that can get a user to IAL2 without the use of biometrics,” Wes Turbeville, senior vice president at ID.me, told Tax Notes.
Turbeville noted that the service allows users to opt for either self-serve ID-proofing with biometrics, like a selfie or digital fingerprint, or for a video call with an ID.me representative or an in-person visit at an ID.me-operated kiosk to confirm their identity.
That last option — visiting an in-person location — is a new offering, and one the IRS is still vetting, said Christopher Duling, an attorney with the Taxpayer Advocate Service, speaking August 8 at the IRS nationwide forum at National Harbor, Maryland.
Looking ahead, ID.me is trying to make better use of data through an “analytics engine that helps us understand how the platform delivers across demographic groups,” Turbeville said. If an agency wants to launch a program aimed at a specific user base — like through the use of in-person kiosks — ID.me can forecast the experience and “tell you where putting those kiosks might give you the most bang for your buck,” he said.
Keith Huebel, president of the National Society of Tax Professionals, said he had no complaints about ID.me, and he hadn’t heard many from clients. “It’s a great process. It’s very simple, and once you do it once, you’re good to go,” he said. Huebel also said he recognized that although the identity-proofing process can be a hassle for some, it’s necessary for security. “People that need IRS information, that’s the only way they’re going to be able to get it. So you don’t have a choice: If you’ve got to drive somewhere, you need a car,” he said.
