As identity thieves continue targeting tax professionals, the IRS and the Summit partners urge practitioners to review the "Taxes-Security-Together" Checklist, including:
Deploy basic security measures.
Use multi-factor authentication to protect tax software accounts.
Create a Virtual Private Network if working remotely.
Create a written data security plan as required by federal law.
Know about phishing and phone scams, especially related to Electronic Filing Identification Numbers (EFINs), COVID-19 related tax-law changes including Economic Impact Payments.
Create data security and data theft recovery plans.
Use digital signatures to submit IRS forms and check account details on the IRS secure portal.
The IRS began accepting digital signatures on a variety of forms this past year. Additionally, the agency made improvements to its online accounts platform to help both tax pros and individuals.
Tax pros may go to the new Tax Pro Account on IRS.gov to digitally initiate Power of Attorney and Tax Information Authorization requests.
Taxpayers have digital control over who can represent them or see their account information on the Online Account portal.
The IRS now accepts a wide array of digital signatures on a number of forms that cannot be electronically filed.
We have instituted all these security protocols at Mattson Gleason CPAs Ltd, and remind other tax preparer of their obligations to do the same.
Mark S Gleason CPA
MattsonGleason.com