The IRS advises tax filers: Set up an online account now—and Trump’s greater SALT break may impact refunds
The IRS encourages taxpayers to create individual online accounts to gain access to their records and lessen the risk of identity theft.
Most federal tax returns for 2025 must be submitted by April 15. According to the IRS, using the account can help you get your return, payments, and notices faster.
A greater SALT deduction cap could benefit certain itemizers, although it is reduced for taxpayers with higher incomes.
The United States Internal Revenue Service is encouraging taxpayers to create individual online accounts, emphasizing the portal’s importance in preventing identity theft and fraud. It also provides secure, easy access to key tax records online. Irs
The drive comes as the 2026 filing season enters its initial busy phase. Most taxpayers have an April 15 deadline for returns and payments.
The IRS is again asking filers to avoid phone calls and instead use its self-service options.
This season’s tax returns show new twists in the tax system, such as an increased cap on the state and local tax deduction.
This adjustment could alter the distinction between who itemizes and who takes the standard deduction.
The IRS stated that taxpayers can access their online account to check crucial return elements such as adjusted gross income and track the processing of refunds and amended returns.
The organization also stated that customers can view employment and income records and create or alter payment arrangements.
The portal allows users to get an Identity Protection PIN—a code that prevents anyone else from submitting a return in your name—as well as read over 200 digital notices delivered by the IRS.
The agency also stated that the account allows users to make or cancel payments throughout the year.
The account creation process takes some time. Users must authenticate their identification using ID.me, a third-party service, and may face a video call.
Tom O’Saben, a tax expert, described the process as “relatively cumbersome,” but emphasized that it requires a small amount of pain in exchange for long-term benefits. Newsweek
ConsumerAffairs noticed the same IRS communication this week, touting the online accounts as a way to reduce fraud and expedite access to refunds and payment information during tax season.
The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law on July 4, 2025, is complicating the filing season for consumers. It changes many credits and deductions, affecting 2025 tax returns. Irs
According to a Thomson Reuters tax bulletin, the state and local tax deduction threshold, known as SALT, will increase to $40,000 for the 2025 tax year.
SALT covers property taxes as well as state/local income or sales taxes. This is an increase from the $10,000 limit set by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
CPA Hilari Pickett stated that the SALT cap will be reduced to $10,000 in 2030. Thomson Reuters
High-income taxpayers will not get the full advantage.
Pickett stated that in 2025, the $40,000 maximum is reduced for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) of more than $500,000, decreasing to as low as $10,000 when MAGI reaches $600,000.
CNBC said that lifting the SALT cap might “drive higher refunds,” particularly for people who itemize and pay significant property or state income taxes.
However, filers who choose the standard deduction—the flat amount most households claim rather than specifying costs on Schedule A—will miss out on this benefit.
According to CNBC, many people still use private tax preparation websites and storefronts to send W-2s and 1099s.
The IRS takes a more direct approach: access all information and notices in one location to reduce errors that could delay refunds.
However, the digital transition encounters a snag. Those who fail identification checks get stranded, and scammers frequently spoof IRS messages during filing season.
SALT regulations may encourage taxpayers to itemize unnecessarily, and the higher ceiling is due to expire later this decade.
The IRS recommended taxpayers set up their accounts well ahead of the deadline, rather than at the last minute.
Once established, users can check accounts, make payments, and track refunds without having to wait on hold.