Lawmakers urge IRS to drop ‘flawed’ ID.me verification tool

U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), have urged the Department of the Treasury and the IRS to enhance the Direct File tax filing program by eliminating the use of ID.me for identity verification. They argue that “taxpayers should not be forced to jump through extra, onerous hoops that private tax prep companies are not required to meet.” The lawmakers highlighted that the facial recognition technology used by ID.me is flawed and disproportionately affects vulnerable groups. They noted that the Direct File pilot was successful, helping taxpayers claim over $90m in refunds and saving $5.6m in filing fees. They have requested answers regarding the impact of ID.me on taxpayer access by October 21st 2024.