IRS Online Account: What You Can Do and How to Sign In

By Forrest Baumhover, CFP®, EA · Last verified October 22, 2026

The IRS Online Account for individuals shows your balance, payments, tax records and notices in one place. This guide lists what the IRS says it does, how to start, and what it leaves out.

What the IRS Online Account Is

The IRS Online Account is the IRS tool for individuals. The IRS says you can use it to access "your individual account information including balance, payments, tax records and more."

The IRS also has a mobile app that offers selected Online Account features. The app does not replace the Online Account, so see the IRS app guide for the difference.

How to Sign In

Start from the IRS Online Account sign-in page. If you are a new user, the IRS says to have your photo identification ready.

The IRS says the sign-in page explains identity verification. The Online Account page does not describe the steps, so follow the instructions on the sign-in page itself.

Never share your sign-in details with anyone, including a tax preparer. If a professional needs access, the IRS has an authorization route that the professional requests and you approve inside your account.

Tax Records

The IRS lists these tax record features: view key details from your return, including your adjusted gross income, and access transcripts or the tax compliance report. You can also check the status of a refund or an amended return, and view digital notices from the IRS.

You can view your audit status, but the IRS says it currently covers certain audits conducted by mail. You can also view available information return documents, such as Forms W-2 and certain 1099s.

To read a transcript after you pull it, use the IRS Transcript Analyzer for the whole account or the Transcript Decoder for one transaction code.

Payments

The IRS says you can make a same-day payment from your bank account, or schedule payments up to 365 days in advance. You can cancel a payment before its scheduled date.

You can view up to five years of payment history, including estimated tax payments, and see pending and scheduled payments. The IRS also says you can make a guest payment without logging in, or pay by debit or credit card.

Balance and Payment Plans

The IRS says you can view balances you owe by tax year. To estimate a monthly payment first, try the IA Payment Calculator.

The IRS lists three payment plan features. You can learn about payment plan options and apply for a new plan, view and revise the details of an existing plan, and create a plan for the amount you expect to owe in the current tax year.

If you cannot use the Online Account, our First Principles report Payment Plans for Clients Who Can't Use the IRS Online Account covers the other ways to ask.

Forms, Profile and Authorizations

The IRS says you can complete, sign and submit select IRS forms, including Form 4547 (Trump Account Election) with its status. To find the right form for a situation, use the IRS Form Finder.

In your profile, the IRS says you can go paperless for certain IRS notices, get email notifications about new account information or activity, and get an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN).

Under authorizations, you can view authorization requests from lenders. You can also approve and electronically sign a Power of Attorney or Tax Information Authorization request from your tax professional.

Note for Tax Professionals

Your client approves your Tax Pro Account request inside this account, so a client who cannot sign in blocks the approval. The Tax Pro Account guide covers what the client needs, including an address that matches IRS records.

Common Questions