IRS Announces MeF Shutdown and Cutover Dates

IRS has announced that the Modern e-File System (MeF) will commence its annual shutdown and cutover maintenance period on Saturday, November 17, 2018, at 11:59 p.m. in order to prepare the system for the upcoming Tax Year 2018 Filing Season

See the full text of the announcement here.

Preparers should note that all 1040 returns will need to be held until e-File production resumes in January 2019 or will need to be paper filed during the shutdown period.

The Two-Step Verification Process

In October 2018, Refunds Today (or National Tax School) will incorporate a Two-Step Verification Process when logging into certain solutions. This security process leverages two authentication factors to increase assurance that the individual attempting to access vital data is who they declare to be. The authentication factors that Refunds Today (or National Tax School) use are:

• Possession factors (Something you have, such as a key fob, smartphone, or external email account)
• Knowledge factors (Something you know, such as username and password or answers to security questions)

The Importance of a Two-Step Verification Process 

Cybercriminals would have a difficult time accessing your client’s data. Here’s why: after entering the password, our two-step verification process requires first-time users to enter a one-time passcode that is sent to a registered/validated telephone or email. That code must be entered within five minutes to verify the user’s identity. This criminal would need physical control of the user’s mobile device or would need immediate access to the user’s email address. Here is the current list of Small Firms Solutions that are impacted by the two-step verification process: 

• Online Check Printing (OCP)
• Support Site for Refunds Today
• National Tax School