To ID or Not To ID – That’s The Question
 | Author:
Victor Sample
Vic Sample: MT43 News Treasurer |
To ID or Not to ID – That’s the Question
Victor Sample
I am the secretary/treasurer for a number of non-profit organizations, or at least do the filing with the MT Secretary of State and with the IRS. For a number of years, I have filed a 990N tax document with the IRS for 4 different organizations.
The 990N is called a 990N Postcard because it used to be just a postcard that we would certify the non-profit organization did not expect to make more than $50,000 a year and sign it. Even though it is now an online process, it is still called filing a 990N Postcard. Go Figure!
It generally would take me about 15 minutes to file all four 990N Postcard tax filings. It’s simple and easy. Who would think the IRS would make anything simple and easy?
This year, I went to the official site for filing 990N. Of course, you have to sign in. I clicked on the sign-in button – and was asked for the MY.ID sign-in.
I don’t have a MY.ID sign-in. I do have a Login.gov ID; I use that for Social Security and Medicare, but I do NOT have a MY.ID sign-in. I was not given an option to use my Login.gov; I was just given the MY.ID sign-in. OR, of course, I could create a MY.ID account. Just what I need, yet another US government sign-in.
So, I clicked on Create MY.ID.
I was asked for my email. I put in my email and clicked next. I got a message that I have to verify my email – pretty standard. So, I went to my email and clicked on the verify. I was told it was successful and to return to the browser. I was then asked for my phone number. After entering the phone number, I was told I would receive a text with a code to verify it was my phone number. Again, pretty standard 2-phase verification. I got the code, entered it in the browser and it was accepted.
Then I was instructed I would have to provide pictures of the front and back of my driver's license. Hmmm – that was more than I was used to doing. I clicked next and got a text on my phone with instructions to click on a link. It then opened the camera on my phone and had me take a picture of the front of my driver's license. I did. Then it opened the camera to take a picture of the back. I did. Then I was told to upload the pictures, so I selected the pictures and did the upload. I was instructed to go back to my browser.
My browser then informed me I would have to provide a “selfie” of myself and that I would get a text on my cell phone. I did. I clicked on the link, and it opened the camera. I held it up to take the selfie. I was told the camera was too close. I extended my arm – it was too far away. I moved the phone closer and was too close. Finally, I got just the right distance. I was starting to feel a little like Goldilocks with the bowls of porridge.
I took the picture and was told to upload it. I selected the picture and clicked the upload button. I was then directed back to my browser. The browser took a couple of minutes to think about it and then told me it could not verify it was me. My options were to do the whole process over again or just do a video call. I selected a video call.
I was instructed that I would need to provide not only my driver's license but also another form of id: a social security card, a passport, or a Medical Insurance card. I had my Medicare Card handy, so I said okay. I received another verification email. I did. I received another text telling me to take a picture of my driver's license. I did the front and back again. Uploaded it again. Received another text telling me to take a picture of my Medical Insurance card. I did; selected the picture and uploaded it. I was then directed back to my browser.
I was told that I would get an email in the next 2-4 days with instructions for the video call to verify it was actually me. Clearly was not going to get the 990Ns filed that day.
Since I couldn’t sign in with MY.ID, I brought up the original page I started with and scrolled farther down the page – and there it was: an option to sign in with my Login.gov ID. I clicked on that, entered my user ID and password and I was in. It took about 15 minutes to file the 990N forms for all four organizations.
It only took 2.5 hours to get that done – 2 hours and fifteen minutes trying to set up a MY.ID account.
Oh, it's been 5 days since then. I have received 2 emails informing me that I have not been forgotten. I will indeed, someday, get a scheduled video call to complete my MY.ID account.
