Facial Recognition

Last revised: October 28, 2026

1. Purpose Statement.
2. Consent.
3. Use of Face Recognition Information.
4. Transparency Disclosure and Retention.
5. Data Security.
6. Integrity and Access.
7. Accountability.
8. Relationship with Amazon Web Services.
9. Best Practices for Input Images.
10. Understanding TaxMe's Face Recognition Utility (FRU).

1. Purpose Statement.

TaxMe's Face Recognition Utility (FRU) is an optional way for returning customers to fill supported forms with information from previous submissions and retrieve supported copies of submitted forms. It combines facial matching with checks of the requested filer identifier, email address and saved records.

Facial matching is an access aid. It does not establish a person's legal identity or, by itself, prove that the person is authorized to act for a filer.

Back to Top

2. Consent.

Using facial recognition is voluntary. The face-registration and retrieval interface presents a consent checkbox linked to this policy. Review this policy before choosing to capture and upload your image. By choosing to upload an image, you agree to TaxMe's Terms of Use, Privacy Policy and Face Recognition Policy.

Use this service only for information you are authorized to access. You may prepare forms without using facial recognition.

Back to Top

3. Use of Face Recognition Information.

TaxMe uses facial recognition information for registration, facial matching and access to the supported services described in this policy. TaxMe does not sell facial recognition information or use it for unrelated purposes.

To provide the service, TaxMe sends the captured image bytes to Amazon Web Services (AWS) Rekognition for processing. The service associates the resulting facial registration with the requested filer identifier. AWS may return face-related metadata, such as face identifiers, bounding boxes, quality information and confidence or similarity scores.

TaxMe will obtain express consent before using facial recognition information in a materially different manner. Other disclosure is limited to express client consent or a court order or law-enforcement directive.

Back to Top

4. Transparency Disclosure and Retention.

AWS Rekognition collections store facial feature vectors and associated registration metadata, rather than the source photograph. TaxMe's face controllers transmit captured image bytes for processing and do not intentionally save the captured face photograph as a local image file. This description concerns TaxMe's implementation and collection storage; it is not a statement that image bytes are never processed or retained elsewhere by AWS under its service terms.

For new facial registrations made under this revised policy after it is published and adopted by TaxMe, the retention period is one year from registration. Registrations made under the previous policy remain subject to its three-month retention commitment. This revision does not extend an existing registration's retention period or reset its registration date. A registration may be removed earlier at the client's written request, when it is replaced by another authorized registration for the same filer identifier, or when a collection is replaced as described under Model Versioning.

TaxMe's retention procedure is for authorized administrators to review registration dates and manually delete registrations when their retention period ends. The current application does not automatically expire or delete registrations based on age. This procedure does not extend the applicable retention period.

Requests to remove a facial registration should be sent in writing to info@tax-me.com. Removing a facial registration removes that method of access; it does not itself delete tax submissions or other records covered by separate policies.

Operational request logs are separate from facial registrations. The request-log cleanup routine uses a 90-day period; it does not delete registrations in AWS and does not implement the applicable facial-registration retention period.

Back to Top

5. Data Security.

TaxMe uses server-side checks to compare the requested filer identifier and email with saved records and to require a matching facial registration before returning information. PDF retrieval also uses short-lived, session-bound authorization for the specific document.

Administrative listing and deletion are restricted by the admin IP and request-security checks. Authorized administrators can view registration metadata and delete registrations. The admin interface does not display source face photographs or raw facial feature vectors.

AWS service credentials are loaded from private server configuration outside the public website directory. These safeguards reduce risk, but no system can guarantee perfect security.

The current face workflow does not include one-time passcodes or a face-liveness check. Filer identifiers and email addresses are not secret credentials, and knowledge of them is not conclusive proof of authority.

Back to Top

6. Integrity and Access.

The current matching requests use an AWS face-match threshold of 99. This is a threshold for accepting returned face matches, not a guarantee of 99% accuracy or proof of identity. Matches can be incorrect, and an authorized user may sometimes fail to match.

If you cannot register, retrieve information or complete a face match, contact info@tax-me.com. You may also use that address to request removal of your facial registration in writing.

Back to Top

7. Accountability.

TaxMe uses operational logging and administrative review to investigate errors and manage the service. Registration-date metadata is recorded after successful registrations when the private metadata store is available. Dates are stored in UTC and shown to administrators in New York time, with daylight saving time applied. Missing or unreliable dates are displayed as Unknown; the system does not invent historical registration dates.

Report errors, suspected unauthorized access or concerns about this policy to info@tax-me.com.

TaxMe will review this policy as its technology, procedures or purposes change.

Back to Top

8. Relationship with Amazon Web Services.

TaxMe uses AWS Rekognition to index facial features and search for matches. TaxMe's current face service uses one active collection. This does not mean that the AWS account contains only one collection.

Captured images are sent to AWS for processing. Facial feature vectors in the collection are used for matching; they are not photographs that can be displayed through TaxMe's List Images administration screen. That screen lists registration metadata.

Model Versioning: An AWS collection is associated with a face-model version. Existing registrations are not automatically re-indexed into a newer collection when AWS releases a model update. TaxMe may replace its active collection and remove its existing registrations when changing models. If registrations are removed, affected users must register again before using face-based access. A model update is not an extension of the retention period.

If AWS processing or TaxMe's access checks fail, the requested face-based operation may be unavailable. Contact support if the problem continues.

Back to Top

9. Best Practices for Input Images.

Use a clear, well-lit image of your own face. Face the camera, keep both eyes visible and avoid masks, obstructions, glare, heavy shadows or motion blur. Keep your face and shoulders in view and use a neutral expression.

Avoid including other people in the image. Image quality can affect registration and matching. Following these suggestions does not guarantee a successful match or replace the requirement to be authorized to access the filer's records.

Back to Top

10. Understanding TaxMe's Face Recognition Utility (FRU).

Registration: Registration requires matching saved submission information for the requested filer identifier, email address and supported form selection. A first-time customer without matching saved records cannot register through this process. The filer identifier is the nine-digit employer or issuer identifier appropriate to the product; it is not a recipient identifier.

The facial registration is associated with the filer identifier across compatible forms, rather than being exclusive to one particular form or submission. Retrieval still checks the requested email, form selection and saved record ownership.

Replacement: A new authorized registration for the same filer identifier replaces the previous registration, including when another authorized person takes over. The original person's face is not required. The current replacement process deletes the old registration before indexing the new one. If the new registration fails, face-based access may require registering again. Replacement is not limited to the form used to start it.

AutoFill: On supported forms, a successful match and saved-record check allow the form's existing AutoFill mapping to populate supported fields. Review the populated information before proceeding.

Access to Forms: The Get Your Form service supports copies of available submitted employment tax returns in the 94x family. Availability depends on the saved submission and a supported PDF template. A successful face match does not guarantee that every form or tax year is available.

Facial recognition remains optional. Contact support if you need help with access or registration.

Back to Top