IRS and Tax Filing Issues

After using online banking and the IRS site for five years now, I finally figured out why I occasionally get that "page cannot be displayed" error right after I hit Enter on my PIN... It's not because the PIN is wrong. Not sure if anyone else deals with this stupid glitch or if it's just me...

Yeah, I've been stuck in that same rut for about two weeks now too 😢

Henry Edwards33 said:Yeah, I've been stuck in that same rut for about two weeks now too 😢

The trick is you can't actually click on the window where you type your PIN. If you use the mouse to click inside the box first, it just throws an error when you try to submit it. You have to just start typing without clicking anything... sounds ridiculous, but that's what works for me. Give it a shot and let me know if it helps.

Not really, though it would be pretty hilarious if that actually fixed things 😁

Henry Edwards33 said:Not really, though it would be pretty hilarious if that actually fixed things 😁

Still happening on my end too. I click the window, type the PIN, hit enter and get an error. If I just redo it without clicking anything first, it works fine...

Look, I honestly have no clue what I’m doing wrong here. I did the exact same thing last year and everything worked perfectly fine. They brought the card in for a certificate renewal and now, suddenly, nothing works at all.

I’ve reinstalled everything, read through every single manual at least four times, and I still keep hitting the same wall.

"This page cannot be displayed"

And it's happening on Chrome, IE, and Firefox.

I've tried basically every trick in the book:

- I added the IRS website to my security level exceptions.
- Java applets are enabled.
- I reinstalled AC 6.2.
- I even downgraded Java three different times just to see if maybe some older version would play nice, but nope—nothing (tried 7u55, 7u80, and the modern 8u191).
- I added the root certificate along with the user certificates (which I need to use anyway).
- I tried enabling IE compatibility mode because one guide said to, but then the site just tells me I have to turn it off... like, seriously? Which one is it?
- And who knows what else...

I was assigned to get this fixed over the weekend, and I haven't the slightest idea if the problem is the card, the reader, or just their crappy website.

I am losing my mind here. I don't know what else to try, and I'm really backed into a corner with this one...

Here’s my take on the situation. Once everything gets restored on the FinTech app, there might be a little trick involving the bank's website. There should be some kind of menu option for "importing" or "linking" a certificate. Something along those lines. That’s how it worked for me with Chase. You basically have to head over to the bank's site, link the certificate there, enter your credentials, and you're good to go. Fingers crossed...
Of course, you can always just give FinTech or the bank a call.

Michelle Sanders said:Look, I honestly have no clue what I’m doing wrong here. I did the exact same thing last year and everything worked perfectly fine. They brought the card in for a certificate renewal and now, suddenly, nothing works at all.

I’ve reinstalled everything, read through every single manual at least four times, and I still keep hitting the same wall.

"This page cannot be displayed"

And it's happening on Chrome, IE, and Firefox.

I've tried basically every trick in the book:

- I added the IRS website to my security level exceptions.
- Java applets are enabled.
- I reinstalled AC 6.2.
- I even downgraded Java three different times just to see if maybe some older version would play nice, but nope—nothing (tried 7u55, 7u80, and the modern 8u191).
- I added the root certificate along with the user certificates (which I need to use anyway).
- I tried enabling IE compatibility mode because one guide said to, but then the site just tells me I have to turn it off... like, seriously? Which one is it?
- And who knows what else...

I was assigned to get this fixed over the weekend, and I haven't the slightest idea if the problem is the card, the reader, or just their crappy website.

I am losing my mind here. I don't know what else to try, and I'm really backed into a corner with this one...

But which page isn't loading? Is it the IRS site, some online banking portal, or something else...?

Zachary White19 said:But which page isn't loading? Is it the IRS site, some online banking portal, or something else...?

Alright, so I spent some time digging into this. I even called a few folks who actually know how these processes work—not those help desk people over at the IRS because they’re basically out for the count today—and it looks like something went sideways during the renewal process.

It gives me the prompt to pick a certificate, but then everything just goes to hell across all my browsers. I tried testing it on other sites that require certificates, like the Regos portal, and it's the same story: total lockout (Private key error, this page cannot be displayed).

Look, I don't usually mess with this stuff, so I have no clue how their backend workflows actually function, but I did everything humanly possible to set things up correctly on my end. All the software is installed, everything should be ready to go, but apparently, the card is just acting up.

I didn't personally take the card in for the renewal, so I can't tell if whoever handled it messed something up, or if they botched the renewal on their side and now the database is totally out of sync. I won't know for sure until Monday, I guess...

Michelle Sanders said:Alright, so I spent some time digging into this. I even called a few folks who actually know how these processes work—not those help desk people over at the IRS because they’re basically out for the count today—and it looks like something went sideways during the renewal process.

It gives me the prompt to pick a certificate, but then everything just goes to hell across all my browsers. I tried testing it on other sites that require certificates, like the Regos portal, and it's the same story: total lockout (Private key error, this page cannot be displayed).

Look, I don't usually mess with this stuff, so I have no clue how their backend workflows actually function, but I did everything humanly possible to set things up correctly on my end. All the software is installed, everything should be ready to go, but apparently, the card is just acting up.

I didn't personally take the card in for the renewal, so I can't tell if whoever handled it messed something up, or if they botched the renewal on their side and now the database is totally out of sync. I won't know for sure until Monday, I guess...

Is there even a point in asking? It’s a total mess. We’ve got a massive problem on our hands, and frankly, I don't see how anyone expects this to resolve itself without a serious intervention. Are we really going to sit here and pretend everything is fine while the whole system grinds to a halt? Absolutely not. This isn't just a minor hiccup; it's a fundamental failure that demands immediate attention. How much longer are we supposed to wait for a fix that never seems to come? It's infuriating.

If you happen to run into trouble while you are in the middle of installing an External Certificate Authority (ECA), you might be staring at this specific error message:

Is there anything more infuriating than staring at a blank screen when you actually need to get work done? It’s absolutely maddening. You click the link, you wait for the little icon to spin, and then—nothing. Just a cold, dead "Page cannot be displayed" error staring back at you. Why does this even happen? Is it a DNS issue? A broken handshake? Or is the server just completely unresponsive? It feels like you're shouting into a void. Does anyone else feel like they're fighting a losing battle against basic connectivity sometimes? It's beyond frustrating.

Is anyone else dealing with this absolute disaster? I’m trying to load a basic webpage and Internet Explorer just stares back at me with that useless "cannot display the webpage" error. It’s infuriating. Does anyone actually know why this keeps happening, or am I just shouting into the void here? Is it a network issue, a browser glitch, or is the software itself just fundamentally broken? If you've encountered this nonsense, I need answers—now.

Cause

Why does this error keep popping up? It’s pretty straightforward: you're dealing with a permissions issue. Specifically, the private key file hasn't been granted the necessary access rights for your current user profile. Fix the permissions, and the problem should resolve itself.

Solution

NOTE: This solution applies to Windows XP Internet Explorer users only.

step 1 : Check for Private Key access

First, go ahead and launch Internet Explorer.
2. Click Tools > Internet Options > Content tab > Certificates
3. Pick out the Identity certificate—you'll know it because its friendly Name of is listed right there alongside its current expiration date.
4. Click Export to launch the Certificate export Wizard and Next 5. Verify that The Yes
5. Verify that The Yes, export the private key option can be selected
If the option is there, just hit Cancel and give this workaround a shot.
Should you find that it isn't there? If it's missing entirely, simply hit Cancel and move straight on to step 2 step 2.

step 2 step 2: You need to adjust the permissions for the private key.

Keep in mind: You absolutely have to enable the setting to view system and hidden files if you want to actually follow these instructions. It won't work otherwise. Also, if you can, I’d strongly suggest running through these steps alongside an IT Administrator to ensure everything goes smoothly.

1. Open Windows Explorer

2. Head over to: \\\Documents and Settings\\ \ \\Application Data\\Microsoft\\Crypto\\RSA\\ \ (ie. S-1-5-21-....)

You might find a handful of different files sitting in this directory. It is important to understand that every single one of these files represents a specific key container. To proceed, you should Right-click on each file and open with Notepad 4. if you receive an access Denied

Are you hitting an "Access Denied" wall when you attempt to open one of those files? If so, here is how you handle it: Right-click on each file and open with Notepad 4. if you receive an access Denied, you’ll need to go into the Properties menu immediately. You must take ownership of The file by clicking The Security Tab and Check All boxes under The Allow column. Once you Reassign The user account full access, you should be good to go. Does the file open now? Great. Move on to the next one. Repeat this process for every single file in the set, then simply exit Windows Explorer and continue with The installation for Windows XP home edition users.

If you're running Windows XP Home Edition, you'll need to follow this specific Solution Note. Just make sure you repeat Step 9 from SO11725 for every single file located in this folder.

5. Make sure to close out of every single Internet Explorer window before moving forward.

6. Head back over to that approval email and just run through the installation steps all over again.

I'm not entirely sure if you've already given this a shot, but I figured I'd send it over to you just in case. Good luck!

wiredmarlin41 said:Is there even a point in asking? It’s a total mess. We’ve got a massive problem on our hands, and frankly, I don't see how anyone expects this to resolve itself without a serious intervention. Are we really going to sit here and pretend everything is fine while the whole system grinds to a halt? Absolutely not. This isn't just a minor hiccup; it's a fundamental failure that demands immediate attention. How much longer are we supposed to wait for a fix that never seems to come? It's infuriating.

If you happen to run into trouble while you are in the middle of installing an External Certificate Authority (ECA), you might be staring at this specific error message:

Is there anything more infuriating than staring at a blank screen when you actually need to get work done? It’s absolutely maddening. You click the link, you wait for the little icon to spin, and then—nothing. Just a cold, dead "Page cannot be displayed" error staring back at you. Why does this even happen? Is it a DNS issue? A broken handshake? Or is the server just completely unresponsive? It feels like you're shouting into a void. Does anyone else feel like they're fighting a losing battle against basic connectivity sometimes? It's beyond frustrating.

Is anyone else dealing with this absolute disaster? I’m trying to load a basic webpage and Internet Explorer just stares back at me with that useless "cannot display the webpage" error. It’s infuriating. Does anyone actually know why this keeps happening, or am I just shouting into the void here? Is it a network issue, a browser glitch, or is the software itself just fundamentally broken? If you've encountered this nonsense, I need answers—now.

Cause

Why does this error keep popping up? It’s pretty straightforward: you're dealing with a permissions issue. Specifically, the private key file hasn't been granted the necessary access rights for your current user profile. Fix the permissions, and the problem should resolve itself.

Solution

NOTE: This solution applies to Windows XP Internet Explorer users only.

step 1 : Check for Private Key access

First, go ahead and launch Internet Explorer.
2. Click Tools > Internet Options > Content tab > Certificates
3. Pick out the Identity certificate—you'll know it because its friendly Name of is listed right there alongside its current expiration date.
4. Click Export to launch the Certificate export Wizard and Next 5. Verify that The Yes
5. Verify that The Yes, export the private key option can be selected
If the option is there, just hit Cancel and give this workaround a shot.
Should you find that it isn't there? If it's missing entirely, simply hit Cancel and move straight on to step 2 step 2.

step 2 step 2: You need to adjust the permissions for the private key.

Keep in mind: You absolutely have to enable the setting to view system and hidden files if you want to actually follow these instructions. It won't work otherwise. Also, if you can, I’d strongly suggest running through these steps alongside an IT Administrator to ensure everything goes smoothly.

1. Open Windows Explorer

2. Head over to: \\\Documents and Settings\\ \ \\Application Data\\Microsoft\\Crypto\\RSA\\ \ (ie. S-1-5-21-....)

You might find a handful of different files sitting in this directory. It is important to understand that every single one of these files represents a specific key container. To proceed, you should Right-click on each file and open with Notepad 4. if you receive an access Denied

Are you hitting an "Access Denied" wall when you attempt to open one of those files? If so, here is how you handle it: Right-click on each file and open with Notepad 4. if you receive an access Denied, you’ll need to go into the Properties menu immediately. You must take ownership of The file by clicking The Security Tab and Check All boxes under The Allow column. Once you Reassign The user account full access, you should be good to go. Does the file open now? Great. Move on to the next one. Repeat this process for every single file in the set, then simply exit Windows Explorer and continue with The installation for Windows XP home edition users.

If you're running Windows XP Home Edition, you'll need to follow this specific Solution Note. Just make sure you repeat Step 9 from SO11725 for every single file located in this folder.

5. Make sure to close out of every single Internet Explorer window before moving forward.

6. Head back over to that approval email and just run through the installation steps all over again.

I'm not entirely sure if you've already given this a shot, but I figured I'd send it over to you just in case. Good luck!

Sadly, that didn't work, but thanks anyway. Guess I'm stuck waiting until Monday because I'm 100% sure they messed something up on their end. I tested it on another computer and got the exact same error, so it's definitely not just my machine.

Hey there—so, I’ve been running my own LLC since 2016, and I’m not set up for sales tax. Business is pretty small, so I’ve been trying to handle all the bookkeeping myself using this online software—you know, the one that starts with an "e"—but I won't name names here because I’m not looking to run an ad... anyway, I rented out my own space to the business for $67 a month, which was reported to the IRS, but the thing is, back in 2016, I never actually paid the rent to the owner (which was me) and I didn't record any sort of liability for the company. Same goes for 2017. Is it even possible—or how would I go about recording those liabilities for 2016 and 2017... you know, retroactively? I was scrolling through some of your old posts and saw people mentioning how common it is to suddenly receive invoices from previous years. If I can't do it retroactively, what's the best way for me to handle recording the payments and liabilities moving forward?
Sorry for jumping into this thread mid-stream.

You’re posting in the wrong thread... but whatever, let's just get to it. You can simply book those expenses under the 2018 fiscal year using account 4xxx for prior period costs. Why on earth would you want to go back and mess with your 2016 or 2017 filings if those annual reports have already been submitted? It’s a headache you don't need. If you really want to be thorough, you could just write off those costs against your own company for those two years. That way, you won't show any rental expenses or even bother with any bookkeeping for that period—though, keep in mind, the individual owning the property still has to pay taxes even if it's handled as $0.00.

We would like to inform our users about several new features and system enhancements now available within the IRS portal:

Warning messages will now be highlighted in yellow for better visibility
You can now submit your JOPPD forms one month in advance (up until the last day of the following month)
Improved functionality for reviewing Part B of large JOPPD forms (supporting files up to 256 MB) along with new filtering options by Tax ID
Enhanced interface for manually completing Part B of the JOPPD forms
Full compatibility with the Opera web browser
Updated user manuals are now available
GDPR compliance consents have been implemented
Best regards,

The IRS

I would really appreciate some help if anyone has run into a similar issue lately

So, here is the situation: the same individual owns both an LLC and a sole proprietorship.
Last year, they set up a Fidelity Gemalto certificate for the LLC, which works perfectly fine for all the Fidelity services and the IRS website.
A few days ago, the owner also went ahead and obtained a separate certificate under their own name for the sole proprietorship—though, from what I understand, everything could have just been handled through the existing corporate certificate, but that’s beside the point for now. The PIN decryption worked smoothly, and the Client Software picks up the new certificate without any issues, so everything seems technically sound on that front.
However, the problem starts when I try to log into the IRS site using this new certificate tied to the sole proprietorship. Instead of seeing the business profile, it automatically pulls up the LLC interface and doesn't give me any option to switch over to the sole proprietorship. I am guessing this is happening because the same person is listed on both certificates via their Social Security number, and now I am stuck. I am not sure if I need to contact the IRS to sort out some kind of authorization or if there is another step involved.
It feels a bit nonsensical since there aren't any separate authorized representatives—it is just the owner using these certificates for all their business needs—but clearly, there is an extra hurdle to clear so the certificate can be used for the small business rather than just the LLC. If anyone has dealt with this before, I would be so grateful for any advice.

Thanks in advance!

Just so nobody is speculating unnecessarily—I finally managed to separate my corporation from my sole proprietorship. I’ve successfully organized both sets of certifications so everything is running smoothly now.

Hey everyone, I’ve been struggling with the IRS website for a little while now. I have my physical tax statement, but I need to get it updated to reflect my current status—specifically an address change. A clerk at the local IRS office mentioned that I could just request a new one through my online portal, but I’ve spent the entire afternoon searching for that option without any luck. All I can find are pages where I try to submit changes, but then I just get hit with an error message saying it isn't in the correct XML format... what should I do? It feels like I might just have to head down to the local IRS office in person to pick up a physical copy after all, right?

Justin Morales5 said:Hey everyone, I’ve been struggling with the IRS website for a little while now. I have my physical tax statement, but I need to get it updated to reflect my current status—specifically an address change. A clerk at the local IRS office mentioned that I could just request a new one through my online portal, but I’ve spent the entire afternoon searching for that option without any luck. All I can find are pages where I try to submit changes, but then I just get hit with an error message saying it isn't in the correct XML format... what should I do? It feels like I might just have to head down to the local IRS office in person to pick up a physical copy after all, right?

As an individual taxpayer, I don't think you have the ability to modify your personal details directly via the IRS portal.
As for downloading your tax info; just open up your file and there should be a "DOWNLOAD" button right there. Simple as that.

ruggedpanther2 said:As an individual taxpayer, I don't think you have the ability to modify your personal details directly via the IRS portal.
As for downloading your tax info; just open up your file and there should be a "DOWNLOAD" button right there. Simple as that.

Thanks for the reply. It finally clicked—I actually went ahead and updated my information yesterday. When I logged back in today, I saw a message in my IRS inbox letting me know I could download my new PricewaterhouseCoopers card. Apparently, I need to turn in my old physical one to my local IRS office! Yay me!!

Hey,

Does anyone have any actual advice on how to fix this "Electronic Signature" nightmare?

Everything seems to be functioning perfectly fine—until that final step, the digital signature...

The system just keeps throwing this error at me:

"An error occurred during signing. Please try again."

My digital certificate is installed correctly—I double-checked everything with an agent at Fidelity—and I can log into the IRS site via Chrome without any issues. I fill out the entire form, only to be blocked by this impossible digital signature process...

The IRS technical support is completely useless... their "expert" advice? Just reinstall everything 😵... seriously? I’m at my wits' end here—I've read every single manual and guide available out there...