IRS Direct Pay System Off to a Strong Start

The Internal Revenue Service said Thursday its new Web-based system, IRS Direct Pay, has been used by more than 150,000 taxpayers so far.

The system lets taxpayers pay their tax bills or make estimated tax payments directly from checking or savings accounts without any fees or pre-registration.

“IRS Direct Pay reflects our latest effort to add more online tools to provide additional service options to help taxpayers,” said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen in a statement. “IRS Direct Pay simplifies the payment process, and taxpayers can make a payment from the convenience of a home computer.”

To date, more than 150,000 taxpayers have paid more than $340 million in taxes through the new IRS Direct Pay system, which debuted this year. With IRS Direct Pay, taxpayers receive instant confirmation that the payment has been submitted, and the system is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Bank account information is not retained in IRS systems after payments are made.

From the “Pay Your Tax Bill” icon at the top of the IRS home page, taxpayers can access IRS Direct Pay, which walks the taxpayer through five steps. They include providing the taxpayer’s tax information, verifying their identity, entering their payment information, reviewing and electronically signing and recording their online confirmation.

IRS Direct Pay offers 30-day advance payment scheduling, payment rescheduling or cancellations, and a payment status search. Future plans include an option for e-mailed payment confirmation, a Spanish version and one-time registration with a login and password to allow quick access on return visits.

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