Important Changes Taking Place with e-Services
August 31, 2017
The IRS will be sending out two Quick Alerts shortly but we just wanted to give you a heads up about important changes taking place with e-Services. Here’s a summary and some links where you can find more information.
New e-Services platform launch next week
Please don’t confuse this with the routine outage that takes place during the Labor Day holiday. Starting Thursday, September 7, will begin moving e-Services to a new platform that will complete a multi-year upgrade and some products will be unavailable.
- 6 a.m. Eastern, Thursday, September 7: E-Services registration and the ability to apply for ACA, e-file, TIN Matching and IVES, will be unavailable. A redesigned e-Services landing page will launch. If you go to the old landing page, you will be automatically redirected to the new page.
- 10 p.m. Eastern Friday, September 8: Transcript Delivery System and TIN Matching will go offline.
- 6 a.m. Eastern Monday, September 11: Transcript Delivery System and TIN Matching will be back online.
- 6 a.m. Eastern Tuesday, September 12: Applications for ACA, e-File, TIN Matching and IVES will be available, including ACA Information Return users filing applications for Transmitter Control Codes.
- State users only will not be able to submit new or change existing e-File/TDS applications from September 7 through late October.
New e-Services User Agreement
In late October, we will roll out a new user agreement. All registered users must accept its terms to have access to e-Services and its products. Please read and sign it when it comes out.
It also addresses an emerging industry we’re calling Intermediate Service Providers. Intermediate Service Providers are privately owned companies offering software and/or services to e-Services users, including helping users access taxpayer transcripts.
The new user agreement requires tax professionals using Intermediate Services Providers to ensure that the company is not storing their username, password or PIN, and they must notify their clients that they are using an Intermediate Service Provider to access tax information.
Registration through Secure Access
Starting in late October, all e-Services users must register through Secure Access, a rigorous authentication process, to validate their identity and meet a new two-factor authentication requirement.
It is called two-factor authentication because all returning users must first enter their credentials (username and password) and then enter a security code sent to the user. To assist users who either cannot use a cell or lack cell service, the IRS is adding a new feature to its IRS2Go app. This app can be used on many types of mobile devices, including smart phones and tablets.
For existing e-Services users who cannot authenticate through Secure Access, we will have an exception process through our help desk. However, even if you validate your identity through the help desk, you will still need a mobile phone or the IRS2Go app to obtain a security code each time you login to e-Services.
You can read more about these changes at Important Information about Your e-Services Account. Read about the current Secure Access process at www.irs.gov/secureaccess. This page will update with information about the IRS2Go app when it becomes available.
We also have FAQs about Secure Access and e-Services Users and Tips for Successfully Authenticating Your Identity through Secure Access.
Additionally, we will be scheduling some webinars that will demonstrate the registration process for users and we will have experts on hand to answer technical questions. More to come on the Webinars and information about the IRS2Go app.
We know this is a lot of information but we wanted to give you plenty of time to plan for the changes. We will keep you up-to-date as we move forward.
Mary Hanson
Senior Stakeholder Liaison
Communications & Liaison
Internal Revenue Service
Andover, Massachusetts
phone 978 783-8459
e-fax 1-877-477-8178