Posted on 03/30/2026 3:55:47 PM PDT by Pearls Before Swine
This thread is about EO 14247. I just got my tax returns back and I am told that all of my 2026 estimated taxes for Federal and State must be electronic. That is, they must be sucked out of an account by ACH transfer. No more mailing of checks. However, the government will graciously accept my mailed in check for what is due on the return itself.
I checked with CoPilot, and it said that EO 14247 of March 25, 2025 mandates that all payments to the Federal Government (including estimated taxes) must be electronic via a portal (IRS.Gov/Payments, I believe). Which, means the government gets direct access to my bank account, which I have to load up for the payment.
This is a real PITA for me. It's yet another account, another round of passwords and identifications, and the nagging worry about the security of government data protection.
I'm aware this is designed to make things more efficient for the government, but it makes things harder for me as I head toward 80.
Is anyone aware of this, and is there any group vehicle of complaint?
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The government had no problem cashing that check right away.
Who knew that USPS and IRS could be so efficient.
You can use a Mastercard debit card instead of a bank account. Otherwise you pretty much covered it.
Maybe my accountant is being progressive.
The firm is getting too big, too fast. They even have a fee reducing option if you allow them (in your engagement letter) to do some of the processing offshore. Why would I ever do that?
I did too. Paid state and fed for 2026. By check and mail.
I don’t think that is going to work.
The truth they fail to tell us is, they want your bank account info so they can simply steal it if they want. Not a conspiracy theory, the truth.
Overall I would prefer using PayPal. It works great. But I don’t see that option at present.
If I used a card instead of ACH, wouldn’t I get charged a “convenience fee” as an additional insult?
Maybe there’s a difference here between using a debit card which goes directly to the bank account, and a credit card, which goes through an intermediary, I don’t know.
I haven’t investigated the options at the portal.
the CPA firms in our area have been bought and taken over by investment groups and the result is painful.
Like we are going to have to redo the 24 return before we do 25.
Be careful. you are not getting CPA quality work. The firm that ate our local cpa prides itself on its DEI. and the quality shows.
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/questions-and-answers-about-executive-order-14247-modernizing-payments-to-and-from-americas-bank-account#b
Q1. Does the Executive Order apply to payments made “to” the IRS? (added Jan. 27, 2026)
A1. Yes. The Executive Order requires federal agencies to modernize both outgoing and incoming payments. Incoming payments made to the IRS encompass all types of transactions, including payment of tax liabilities, enrolled agent fees, pre-filing agreements, and advanced pricing agreement fees. For now, checks and money orders will still be accepted. However, the IRS strongly encourages taxpayers to make payments using existing electronic options. Over time, the IRS will reduce reliance on paper checks and money orders for receiving payments, with limited exceptions made for specific situations such as those involving hardships, and/or legal and procedural requirements.
Q2. How much longer will taxpayers be able to pay the IRS by check or money order? (added Jan. 27, 2026)
A2. For now, mailed payments to the IRS, including cash, checks and money orders, will still be accepted and processed. However, over time, the IRS will fully transition to electronic methods. The IRS will accept checks when electronic payment methods are not available for a certain transaction type or in specific situations such as those involving hardships, and/or legal and procedural requirements.
I’ve always paid or received my taxes electronically, but making it mandatory scares me. Just another sign of the Beast’s system coming online.
I, for one, welcome our new digital overlords! /S
Very nasty stuff. A push for a cashless society. No privacy. No property not easily available to government seizure.
No wonder bitcoin is popular. The IRS requires you tell them about any digital assets you have.
My parents used a secondary checking account just for paying the estimated taxes or quarterlies. They deposit the money just before making the payment and kept the minimum $100 to keep it a free account and of course had no checks for it.
That way, no access to the main account.
Yes, we have an SBA loan we got after Superstorm Sandy to help with our house. This year we had to switch to making electronic payments. And hubby pays estimated taxes because he’s self-employed, but he always made the electronically.
He likes that stuff, me not so much, but I can live with it.
I’m actually so old that I remember bringing the check and the little coupon thing to the bank to remit the withheld taxes from our companies’ payrolls. That stopped a long time ago.
They just have a checkbox if you have digital assets, but so far have not required a listing of any holdings. At least not yet. At some point I might have a boating accident with my software wallet...
EOs don’t directly affect you.
They tell agencies what to start doing or stop doing.
Excellent advice!
You can use their direct pay facility. It’s essentially equivalent to paying by check since they collect no more information than they do if you mail a check in. Plus there’s no possibility of it being lost or stolen in the mail. There’s no sign-in required and no separate account or database maintained.
That works for me since it’s easy and secure. I always try to avoid sending checks through the mail as I was once a victim of stolen (then subsequently “washed”) check fraud. Never again after that painful experience.
Link here:
https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-personal-taxes-from-your-bank-account
You don’t think your government information is safe with….the government?
I’ve been paying my taxes electronically for many years now. Use a different email and unique password and you will be fine.
It saves a bunch of time when I do it. It saves the government a bunch of time and money as well.
They affect me when the agencies start implementing them!
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