Money

IRS to require facial recognition in order to file and pay taxes

Published

4 years ago

January 20, 2022

A major shake-up is coming to the way US citizens file their taxes

Citizens that file their taxes online tax will soon be required to submit a selfie to a third-party identity verification company using facial recognition tech in order to file their taxes or make IRS payments online.

According to Gizmodo, from this summer, online users with an IRS.gov account will no longer be able to log in with a simple username and password.

The new process will instead involve facial recognition. Users will need to provide a government identification document, a selfie, and copies of their bills to Virginian-based identity verification firm ID.me to confirm who they are.

That change, first noticed by Krebs on Security, marks a major shift for the IRS which previously allowed users to file their taxes without submitting personal biometric data.

Gizmodo reports that a statement from an IRS spokesperson said users can still receive basic information from the IRS website without logging in, however the representative added they would need to sign in through ID.me to make and view payments, access tax records, view or create payment plans, manage communications preference, or view tax authorisations.

Users attempting to log in to their accounts using ID.me will have to create an account with the company by uploading either a driver’s license, passport, or passport card.

Money

Australian Dollar surges: What $0.70 means for markets

Australian dollar surges 5% to $0.70, impacting importers, exporters, and big miners amid rising interest rates.

Published

2 days ago

February 18, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Australian dollar surges 5% to $0.70, impacting importers, exporters, and big miners amid rising interest rates.

The Australian dollar has jumped more than 5 percent against the U.S. dollar this year, now trading around $0.70. This rapid rise has sparked mixed reactions for importers and exporters as Australia’s materials sector shows signs of bouncing back, despite concerns over rising interest rates.

Dale Gilham from Wealth Within breaks down the factors behind the AUD surge, the implications for commodities, and what it means for big miners like BHP. From profits to strategy, we explore how the market is reacting to this currency shift.

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#AustralianDollar #AUD #Forex #Investing #Commodities #BHP #Mining #Markets

Money

S&P 500 rises as financial stocks lead and tech slips

S&P 500 rises 0.4% thanks to financial stocks; software struggles amidst AI concerns. Subscribe for updates!

Published

2 days ago

February 18, 2026

Harvey Vargas

S&P 500 rises 0.4% thanks to financial stocks; software struggles amidst AI concerns. Subscribe for updates!

The S&P 500 climbed 0.4% on Tuesday, boosted by strong gains in financial stocks. Citigroup and JPMorgan led the rally, showing investors are rotating money into the sector as tech stocks faltered.

Meanwhile, software shares struggled, with ServiceNow, Autodesk, and Palo Alto Networks all seeing notable declines. Concerns around AI disruption continue to affect the software and financial sectors alike.

Market watchers are now turning their attention to upcoming inflation reports later this week, looking for signals that could shape the next moves in the market.

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Money

Australia’s GST debate heats up amid tax reform push

Australia debates GST expansion amid aging population pressures and personal income tax concerns; expert insights from Dr. Steven Enticott.

Published

3 days ago

February 17, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Australia debates GST expansion amid aging population pressures and personal income tax concerns; expert insights from Dr. Steven Enticott.

Australia is facing a fierce debate over tax reform, with fresh calls to broaden the Goods and Services Tax as the government searches for more stable revenue streams. With an ageing population putting pressure on health, pensions and long-term spending, economists argue the current reliance on personal income tax may not be sustainable.

Dr Steven Enticott from CIA Tax joins Ticker to break down the real impact of expanding the GST, including how it could affect lower-income households, whether taxing unrealised gains would change investor behaviour, and what compensation mechanisms could soften the blow on essential goods. The political risks are high, but so are the fiscal stakes.

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