Digital transformation in government often focuses on new tools, new portals, or new user experiences. However, as Jessica Alfaro, Makpar’s Vice President of Technology, recently outlined in a GovLoop guest article, there is one element that determines whether any of it works, which is identity.
Every time a taxpayer logs in to an IRS system to check a transcript, upload documentation, or resolve a notice, the interaction begins with a single question. Can the system confidently determine who this person is and what they are allowed to do?
When that answer is fast, accurate, and seamless, taxpayers move through tasks with ease. When it is not, frustration rises, fraud risk increases, and confidence in digital channels declines.
Identity as Mission Infrastructure
In her article, Jessica makes a clear case that identity is no longer just a cybersecurity control. At IRS scale, it functions as mission infrastructure.
Modern Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) brings identity proofing, authentication, authorization, and monitoring directly into how services operate. When embedded properly, identity improves both security and usability. The right users reach the right services at the right time, without unnecessary friction.
At the scale of the IRS, identity is not a background function. Every login request and access decision contributes to system load. Minor latency becomes visible to millions of users. Small failures can cascade quickly during filing season.
Treating identity as infrastructure changes the design mindset. Systems must be engineered for surge, not average demand. Access rules must be consistent across services. Monitoring must focus on performance and operational health as much as security signals.
The goal is reliability and a consistent digital front door for taxpayers and tax professionals alike.
The Operational Impact of Getting Identity Right
Jessica emphasizes that strong identity foundations deliver benefits far beyond security. Seamless access reduces friction and speeds task completion. Resilient systems stay responsive during peak demand. Modernization moves faster when new services can rely on a shared identity layer instead of rebuilding access controls each time.
There is a clear cost impact as well. When taxpayers can successfully self-serve online, agencies reduce reliance on phone based and in person support, easing operational strain and reinforcing trust in digital channels.
The opposite is also true. Weak proofing increases fraud risk. Inconsistent authorization creates confusion. Friction drives users back to higher cost channels. At scale, those failures result in longer wait times, higher costs, and declining trust.
What the IRS Is Signaling to the Field
The IRS is treating identity as a strategic enabler of digital service delivery. This reflects a broader shift toward ICAM as foundational infrastructure that supports resilience, fairness, and efficiency.
Agencies that see identity as a compliance exercise will struggle. Those that treat it as mission infrastructure will be better positioned to deliver secure, scalable services while managing fraud and operational risk.
Jessica’s guidance is practical. Engineer for peak demand, align access rules, reduce friction in high volume journeys, right size assurance to risk, and measure identity performance with the same rigor as applications. Identity may not be visible, but it shapes every digital interaction.
For a deeper look at why identity is foundational to modern digital services, read Jessica’s full GovLoop article. If your agency is modernizing identity or strengthening digital access, contact Makpar to learn how we can help.
