IRS Plans to Launch My IRS Account
November 12, 2007 at 11:57 pm by Ehab Bandar
As reported by the Federal Computer Week, the IRS has plans to launch “My IRS Account” next year:
My IRS Account will initially let taxpayers look at three years’ worth of their tax data history.
IRS’ goal is to have an online, secure set of self-service applications for taxpayers to deal with IRS similar to functions consumers enjoy with online banking.
OK, so government is a tad slow, but better late than never. It’s interesting to note that as more personal finance tools are going on line, so to is our financial data and delivery. Tax information has long been the private domain of you and your accountant. Even your closest family member dare not inquire about your taxes or income without a quick rebuke. So if your taxes are online, what does that say about our sense of privacy and security. In an intriguing New York Times article “Securing Very Important Data: Your Own” the author argues that users love having access to all this data and are not perturbed by identify theft and security concerns. However, customers have spoken in others ways, and security and privacy remain key obstacles to using online finance and banking applications.
At the end of the day, it comes down to a matter of trust. Users for the most part assume, perhaps blindly, that their banks will keep their information private and secure. Users know that this underlines their every interaction with their bank, and that if anything does happen, their bank will be on their side. And so while banks and government are high on the trust factor, others who are encroaching in that space will be well served to build an equally strong reputation. In other words, build it and they will come.
(1 votes, average: 4 out of 5)
Loading ...Share: 
