Has anyone tried opting out of the Child Tax Credit advance yet? (Vanity)

self | 6/27/2021 | GenXFreedomFighter

[GenXFreedomFighter]

Has anyone started the process of opting out of the Child Tax Credit advance? I have, and it scares the hell out of me.

The IRS website sends you to a partner company website called ID.me. They start by asking for your cell phone number so they can establish 2-factor identification. I figure no sweat, so I did that. Then they want you to take photos of the front and back of your driver's license. I figure the federal government probably already has that data anyway, so I did that. Then they want you to take a selfie. A series of flashing lights somehow verifies that the picture is live and not a photograph. After that they want you to record your voiceprint using your smartphone. The selfie is where I froze in my tracks and stopped the process.

Does this bother anyone else?

I read the terms of consent and the company policy on use of the biometric data they are collecting. This data is shared with the client on whose behalf you are registering yourself (e.g., the IRS). It says that some of their clients are banks or merchants. It makes sense to me that some folks might want the tightest security possible to protect their financial interests, but this is the U.S. government compelling me to provide identifying biometric information to stop this tax money advance that I do not want.

So in addition to this tax advance being a buyoff to certain sectors of the voting public, it's also a Trojan horse compelling those who want to refuse it to give up some privacy.

[alexander_busek]

It is tempting for the client’s to get addicted to taking the money rather than returning it.

Tempting for the client's what?

Regards,

[GenXFreedomFighter]

Good question. I couldn’t find any low-tech methods to opt out. I think you’re supposed to take the money and be happy.

[Tired of Taxes]

I wanted to be able to claim the full child credit next year to decrease the likelihood that we would owe at tax time.

Oh... so that's why you want to opt out.

[proud American in Canada]

You’re right. Should have just hung up immediately.