IRS Updating Sign-in Process for Qualified Intermediaries
The IRS recently announced it will soon be updating sign-in procedures for some of its online applications to improve security.
The Qualified Intermediary, Withholding Foreign Partnership, Withholding Foreign Trust Application and Account Management System (QAAMS) will be transitioned to a sign-in system that will require new users to register with third-party identity verification provider ID.me. QAAMS users with an active IRS username will be able to sign in after the transition until further notice, the IRS said.
New QAAMS users will be required to create an ID.me account. The process will include verifying an email address, creating a password and setting up multi-factor authentication. Applicants will be able to receive a multi-factor authentication code from ID.me in several ways, including a phone call or text message. Lastly, applicants will consent for ID.me to share their email address with the IRS.
Over the past year, the IRS has been moving its e-Services sign-in processes to ID.me to improve user authentication. ID.me has also received criticism this year from some privacy advocates and members of Congress because of its facial recognition features before the IRS loosened that requirement. The IRS has been considering its ability to transition to the Login.gov service used by the federal government.