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Val Rossi

IRS website showing 'You Are Not Authorized to Access This Application' - what happened to my account?

So I tried to log into my IRS account today to check my tax transcript (haven't logged in for about 3 months) and suddenly I'm getting this message saying 'You Are Not Authorized to Access This Application.' I definitely have the right username and password because it accepted those, but then immediately after logging in, it shows this error. Did my account get locked or something? I haven't received any letters from the IRS about account issues. Has anyone else experienced this or know what's going on? I need to check my transcript for a mortgage application.

This is actually pretty common. The IRS system tends to deactivate accounts after periods of inactivity (usually 2-3 months). You'll need to go through the verification process again to reactivate your account. Go to the main IRS landing page and click on 'Get Transcript Online' and follow the steps to verify your identity. You'll need your personal info plus a financial account number (credit card, loan, etc) and possibly a cell phone for receiving a verification code. The system will ask you identity verification questions again like it did when you first created the account.

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Thanks so much for explaining! I had no idea they deactivate after inactivity. Will try the verification process again tonight.

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I went through this last week and the verification took FOREVER. Make sure you have all your docs ready before you start!

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omg yes this happened to me too! the verification was such a pain, but once i got thru it was fine. they really need to warn ppl about this 🙄

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Yeah the verification can be a hassle but it's a security measure. Good luck! And remember, if you want to keep your account active, log in at least once every couple months.

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I had this same issue last year and spent HOURS trying to figure it out. Wish I had found taxr.ai sooner! Instead of dealing with the frustrating IRS website, I used taxr.ai to interpret my transcript. It's so much easier than going through the verification process again and again. It analyzes your transcript and explains everything in plain English - like what each code means and what's actually happening with your refund or account. No more detective work trying to piece together what's going on. https://taxr.ai

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Sounds interesting. How exactly does it work? Does it just read your transcript or does it do more?

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It does SO much more than just read the transcript! It actually interprets all those confusing codes and tells you exactly what's happening with your taxes in normal human language. It can predict refund dates based on patterns, explain why you're being delayed, and even identify potential issues. I was completely lost before using it - now I actually understand my tax situation! Everyone dealing with IRS nonsense needs to try this!

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is it free? sounds like something that would cost money 🤔

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There is a cost but it was honestly the best money I've spent all year. Saved me countless hours of stress and confusion. Way cheaper than hiring a tax pro too!

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Alright, so I had the EXACT same issue back in April and spent days trying to get back into my account. After failing repeatedly and needing my transcript urgently for a loan approval, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected with an actual IRS agent on the phone. The agent was able to reset something on my account that let me log back in! Apparently sometimes there's a glitch in their system that requires manual intervention. Getting through to a human at the IRS made all the difference.

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Sounds too good to be true. The IRS never answers their phones. How does that even work?

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That's exactly what I thought too! But it actually does work. They basically navigate the IRS phone system and hold your place in line, then call you when they've reached an agent. Talking to the agent directly solved my problem in like 10 minutes after I'd been struggling for days. It was seriously the best money I've spent this year considering how much stress it saved me.

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wait for real? does this actually work? i've tried calling the IRS like 47 times this month with zero luck 😭

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100% for real. I was super skeptical too but was desperate. Got a call back with an actual agent in about 1.5 hours when I'd been trying for days on my own with no success.

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I haven't tried Claimyr but I spent 7 HOURS on hold with the IRS last week only to have them hang up on me when they closed for the day. Might try this service now...

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The IRS website is GARBAGE. It kicks you out randomly, locks your account for no reason, and the verification process is a nightmare. I've had to reverify my account 3 times in the past year. Their tech is stuck in 2003.

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lol 2003 is generous... more like 1993 💅

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fr tho, its embarrassing. How is our tax system run on such trash technology?

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I work as a tax preparer, and this is an incredibly common issue. The IRS has what they call a "security timeout" that deactivates online access after periods of inactivity (usually 90 days but sometimes shorter). Rather than trying to navigate their awful website, you might want to try requesting your transcript by mail using Form 4506-T or calling the transcript request line at 800-908-9946. Neither option is as quick as online access, but they're good alternatives if you're in a hurry and having website issues.

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Thanks for the advice! Do you know roughly how long it takes to get a transcript by mail these days?

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Currently it's taking about 10-14 days for most people to receive transcripts by mail. If you use Form 4506-T it might be a few days longer because they have to process the form first.

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I used 4506-T last month and it took almost 3 weeks to arrive. Just FYI if you're on any kind of deadline

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Try using a different browser! This hapened to me and it turned out chrome was the problem. Used edge and suddenly it worked fine.

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OMG THE IRS IS THE WORST. Their whole system is designed to be as frustrating as possible. I got locked out last month, had to call them THREE TIMES before someone could help me. Each time was on hold for over an hour. They need to hire some actual tech people instead of running everything on Windows 95 😂😂😂

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Windows 95 would be an upgrade for them lmao 🤣

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I heard they're still using COBOL programming from the 60s for some of their systems. No wonder everything's always broken!

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wouldn't surprise me! my grandma probably has better tech than the entire IRS 💀

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Check your email! Sometimes when they deactivate your account they send an email with instructions on how to reactivate it. It might be in your spam folder.

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Has anyone tried contacting the Taxpayer Advocate Service about these website issues? I've been having the same problems for months and finally reached out to them. They were actually helpful and escalated my case. Might be worth a try if you keep having issues.

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I tried contacting them in July and they said they were too backlogged to help with "non-urgent" matters. Said unless I was facing immediate financial hardship they couldn't help. YMMV

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Wow that sucks! I must have gotten lucky with mine. The lady I spoke to was super helpful.

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Have you tried accessing your account on the mobile app? Sometimes the website gives me that error but the app still works. Worth a shot!

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Honestly, if your dealing with time-sensitive stuff like a mortgage application, I'd highly recommend checking out taxr.ai - I was in a similar situation last month when applying for a loan, and it saved me so much headache. Had all my transcript info analyzed and explained within minutes instead of fighting with the IRS site for days. Definitely the way to go when you're on a deadline!

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Another vote for taxr.ai here 👍 My account was locked for WEEKS and I needed my transcript info for my divorce proceedings. This tool was a lifesaver.

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how does it work if you cant access your transcript? im confused

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You upload whatever tax docs you have (even if it's just prior returns), and it can piece together what's happening with your account. It's pretty impressive how accurately it can analyze your situation even with limited info.

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I fixed this issue by completely clearing my browser cache and cookies, then tried again. Sometimes the IRS website has issues with stored session data. Worth a try before going through the whole reverification process.

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I went thru this last month. Had to call the IRS tech support line (not the regular IRS line) at 866-255-0654. Waited about 45 minutes but the tech was able to reset something on their end that fixed it. might be faster than reverifying your whole account.

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Thanks for the specific number! I'll try this tomorrow morning.

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I tried that number last week and it just says 'due to high call volume we cannot take your call at this time' and hangs up. Typical IRS 🙃

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After dealing with exactly this problem and wasting 3 days trying to fix it myself, I finally tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) on someone's recommendation. Got connected to a real IRS person who fixed my account in minutes. Talking to an actual human at the IRS made all the difference - they can see things on their end we can't access. Seriously made my life so much easier.

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How long did it take to get connected to an agent? I've heard mixed things about their wait times.

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I got connected in about 2 hours which was WAAAY faster than my previous attempts calling directly (where I never got through at all). Definitely worth it when you're dealing with time-sensitive stuff. Got my mortgage app back on track!

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Ok so this might sound weird but try accessing the site during off-hours like very early morning (5-6am) or late at night. The IRS systems seem to get overloaded during business hours and kick people out with weird errors. I've had much better luck logging in during weird hours.

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I've spent the past 6 years working in tax resolution, and here's my detailed advice for getting back into your account: • First, try the simple fix: clear cookies/cache and try a different browser • If that fails, you need to go through ID verification again, but there are tricks • Create a new account using a different email address than before • Have these items ready: SSN, DOB, filing status, mailing address from last return, mobile phone, email, credit card or loan account #, and either drivers license, passport, or state ID • If the online verification fails (which happens often), request a verification letter be mailed to you • While waiting, call the IRS ID Verify department at 800-830-5084 (they're usually less busy than main lines) • When speaking with an agent, ask specifically if there's a "security profile issue" with your account - this is often the real problem • If all else fails, request transcripts by mail using Form 4506-T Hope this helps!

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This is incredibly detailed, thank you so much! I'll follow these steps exactly.

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Thank you for taking the time to write this all out. Saving this for future reference.

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I had this exact same issue a few weeks ago! Super frustrating when you need your transcript urgently. What worked for me was actually a combination of things - first I cleared all my browser data (cookies, cache, everything), then I tried accessing the site at like 6 AM when their servers aren't as loaded. When I still got the authorization error, I ended up going through the full ID verification process again which was annoying but only took about 15 minutes. The key is having all your documents ready beforehand - SSN, last year's AGI, a credit card or bank account number for verification, and your phone for the text code. Once I got back in, I made sure to bookmark the direct transcript page and log in monthly now so it doesn't happen again. Good luck with your mortgage application!

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