Who knew?

Did you know that your account with the IRS does NOT have to be a black box? Believe it or not, every taxpayer can see their IRS account activity by setting up IRS online access. Given the fact that the IRS faces some…um…funding and staffing issues due to the powers that be in the White House and Congress (and…DOGE?), it will be ever more difficult to be able to speak with an actual human (let alone a human that has any clue what they are talking about) when you call the IRS. So I think it is crucial to use any tools we have at our disposal. And this one is pretty powerful — read on!

OK, but how? To set up your account, go to the IRS website via this link. There, you will click the big blue button for “Sign in to your online account”. If you have an existing account, click the button for “Sign in with ID.me”. If you don’t, click the other button for “ID.me create an account”. From there, you will need to go through some ID verification and set up your email and phone number for multi-factor authentication. I won’t lie, I found it to be a slightly cumbersome process, so set aside a bit of extra time for this. But once you get it set up, you should be good to go.¹

What information can I get from this account? Once you log in, you can see what the IRS has in your taxpayer account for the last four years (2021-2024 at the time of this writing). It’s a good idea to check this periodically to make sure nothing is amiss. You can see…

• transcripts for prior tax returns filed
• the wage and income documents² reported under your profile
• any IRS notices outstanding
• info on any ongoing audits
• a few other interesting tidbits

You can also get an identity protection personal identification number (“IP PIN”) by going to the “Profile” section at the top of the screen. Once you click there, scroll down and you will be given an option for an IP PIN.³ Another really handy thing is the ability to approve a power of attorney through your account.⁴

But what about information security? I mean, the IRS already owns you — SSN, address, date of birth, bank accounts — they have it all. If they can’t do information security, we are all doomed. However, if you are concerned about receiving this information through your internet connection or browser, then perhaps you should consider upping your security game. For starters, don’t set up this account or access it on public WiFi. If you are concerned about the security of your home internet, you should consider installing a new router, getting a VPN, and/or upgrading your antivirus to a more robust package. We must all be proactive to protect ourselves as much as possible these days.

So, what are you waiting for? Go set that account up so it’s there when you really need it!

1. This same login will also get you into your Social Security account at SSA.gov. There, you can print out your complete Social Security wage history. ↩︎
2. The wage and income documents for 2024 won’t likely show up until sometime around April 2025. Please do not rely on this as the source for your documents for tax prep. The information there is often truncated/incomplete, so it makes it difficult or impossible for your tax preparer to parse for a tax return. If you are missing a document, you should first contact the issuer of the document to request a replacement. You should also do your best to keep your mailing address (and email) current with your employer(s) and/or contractors by filling out the appropriate Form W-4 or W-9 each time you move. This will help those forms make it to you in the first place. ↩︎
3. If you choose to get an IP PIN, be sure to give it to your tax preparer as they will not be able to file your tax return without it. I *highly* recommend that all taxpayers get an IP PIN. ↩︎
4. This is PRICELESS if you need me to call the IRS on your behalf to resolve an issue or respond to a notice. Otherwise, it is a morass of signature collection and faxes (no, seriously, faxes – welcome to 1995!) that may or may not make it to the correct IRS agent. It is also much more secure than a fax machine. ↩︎

The FINE Print: This is provided for information and entertainment purposes only. It is not meant to address any specific tax issue nor can it be considered personal tax advice. Please consult your tax advisor for guidance.