IRS launches online payment for individuals

The IRS on Thursday went live with a Web payment system for 1040 and quarterly taxpayers. The service has offered online filing for several years but not online payment.To register at for online payment, users must provide their Social Security numbers or taxpayer identification numbers. Within six weeks, the IRS mails each user two kits, one containing a personal ID number and the other a password. Armed with these PINs and passwords, taxpayers can arrange for electronic funds transfers from their bank accounts to the Treasury Department.While online, taxpayers must go to two separate sites—one for filing and one for payment. A spokeswoman said the IRS eventually wants to combine the two functions on one site. For personal income tax filers, Treasury will allow taxpayers to register up to a year in advance of when a tax payment is due.