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IRS Just Announced Major Expansion of Tax Service to Millions

How the expanded access could help organizations at a key time.

By Paige Cerulli , Edited by Laura Hohenstein

Updated April 8, 2026

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Filing and managing taxes just got easier for millions of organizations. On April 6, 2026, the IRS announced the expansion of its Business Tax Account (BTA) access. Through the online self-service platform, organizations can perform important tasks like making payments and accessing tax transcripts. Its expanded availability means more organizations can access that important tool, giving them another valuable resource to navigate tax filing and management.

Here's what you should know about how this expansion might help you and your organization make the right moves when it comes to tax time.

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Reasons behind the expansion

The IRS framed the expansion as part of a broader modernization push designed to reduce administrative burden on both taxpayers and the IRS.

"By opening the Business Tax Account to partnerships, tax-exempts and other organizations, we're giving millions more entities secure, convenient access to their tax information," explained IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank J. Bisignano. "Digital access will reduce the burden on these taxpayers because they no longer will be limited to paper and phone interactions to perform simple tasks with the IRS."

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Organizations that can now access the Business Tax Account

Prior to the expansion, sole proprietors, S corporations, and C corporations had BTA access. The expansion provides access to partnerships; federal, state, and local governments; Indian tribal governments; and tax-exempt organizations, such as nonprofits. These new organizations will be able to use the BTA for the first time, and the platform may help them save time, improve the organization and accuracy of their tax records, and improve their overall efficiency.

Perhaps most importantly, organizations can use the BTA to perform actions entirely digitally, replacing paper and phone interactions for routine tasks. That digital access offers a more streamlined option.

How the BTA helps users

The BTA is a comprehensive online tool that helps organizations file and manage their taxes. Users can view tax balances, make payments, and review their payment history. They can download digital notices and view eligible transcripts, including payroll and income transcripts. Plus, an organization can see the business name and address on file with the IRS to verify its accuracy or determine if it needs to be updated.

Organizations can also use the BTA to request a tax compliance check, which can help verify that the organization has paid the correct amount of taxes. A tax compliance check may also help an organization to avoid penalties and fees, and a check and tax compliance report is sometimes required for business contracts.

Understanding new organization access

Designated officials are able to access the BTA on behalf of the newly added organizations. Requirements and qualifications for designated officials vary depending on the organization type. For example, a designated official for a federal, state, or local government entity has to be either an elected official, the Director of Taxation, or an appointed official.

A designated official for a tax-exempt organization must be an officer of the organization, a board chairperson, or a trustee of a trust.

Since requirements vary depending on the organization type, it's best for any new organization interested in accessing the BTA to review the details on the login page to identify an appropriate designated official.

Access requirements for the BTA

Accessing the BTA is a two-part process. First, new users must create a profile and verify their identity by signing in through the IRS third-party identity authentication provider.

After a new user is authenticated, the IRS must verify their relationship with the organization. This phase also involves confirming what information that user is authorized to access.

Maintaining access to the BTA

Once a designated official is registered, they must renew their account annually to continue to access the BTA. The IRS will send a notification during a six-week renewal period. If the individual doesn't renew by the end of the period, they will need to register again.

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Why expanded BTA access matters now

The BTA expansion comes at a key time. According to Yahoo Personal Finance, the IRS has 26% fewer employees in 2026 than it did in 2025. Its Direct File and Online Services departments were some of the hardest hit by the staff reduction, and the 2025 government shutdown impacted the agency's ability to hire seasonal workers to help with the busy tax season.

The IRS was only able to onboard about 66% of the employees needed to provide customer support this season, leaving the agency understaffed. Expanding the BTA gives more organizations access to more resources, and it may help reduce the amount of assistance that those organizations need from the IRS this season.

Bottom line

The expanded access to the BTA gives additional organizations access to this online tool, and it may help reduce the IRS's administrative burden while streamlining tax filing and management for organizations.

The IRS also offers several other online tools, including a "Let us help you" page with information on how to file and amend a return, as well as an interactive tax assistant, which includes articles on topics like filing taxes, deductions, tax credits, and more.

Filing taxes can be a complicated process, but there are many resources available to help you determine where you stand financially and what next tax steps you need to take. If you have any questions when filing your taxes, be sure to consult a tax professional for help.

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Author Details

Paige Cerulli

Paige Cerulli is a writer for FinanceBuzz with more than 15 years of experience covering personal finance. She focuses on trending financial topics and helps readers make sense of everyday money decisions to more timely topics like tax refunds and how to make the most of that extra cash.