“The IRS is committed to the protection of taxpayer information and the security of our systems,” said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. “Criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated and continue to gather vast amounts of personal information as the result of data breaches at sources outside the IRS. In the face of that threat, we must provide the strongest possible authentication processes, while trying to enhance the ability of taxpayers to legitimately access their data and use IRS services online. We recognize that enhanced security will increase the challenge for taxpayers accessing our on-line services.”

• * A readily available email address;
• * Your Social Security number or Individual Tax Identification Number;
• * Your filing status and address from your last-filed tax return;
• * Access to certain account numbers for either:
  • * credit card, or
  • * home mortgage loan, or
  • * home equity (second mortgage) loan, or
  • * home equity line of credit (HELOC), or
  • * car loan
• * A readily available mobile phone. Only U.S-based mobile phones may be used. Your name must be associated with the mobile phone account. Landlines, Skype, Google Voice or similar virtual phones as well as phones associated with pay-as-you-go plans cannot be used;
• * If you have a “credit freeze” on your credit records through Equifax, it must be temporarily lifted before you can successfully complete this process.

• * Submit their name and email address to receive a confirmation code;
• * Enter the emailed confirmation code;
• * Provide their SSN, date of birth, filing status and address on the last filed tax return;
• * Provide some financial account information for verification such as the last eight digits of their credit card number or car loan number or home mortgage account number or home equity (second mortgage) loan number;
• * Enter a mobile phone number to receive a six-digit activation code via text message;
• * Enter the activation code;
• * Create username and password, create a site phrase and select a site image.