Two-factor authentication on state websites really makes us salty. Here’s how we deal with the the “master administrator” setting assigned by each state. There are plenty of pain points in managing state and local tax. In this continuing series, the SALTovation team will share their go-to learnings on issues that take time out of their day, and yours, in hopes of relieving you of the saltiest bits.
By Meredith Smith, Stacey Roberts, Alexander Korzhen and Tram Le
Welcome to another episode of SALTovation. As school gets out for the summer, we’re starting a new series called “What Makes Us Salty.” This may not be fully work-appropriate, but we’ll try to keep it clean.
Meredith, what makes you salty?
Two-factor authentication is on state websites. Each state has different access, and it’s a pain to deal with. One master administrator is assigned to each state, and they have to grant access to everyone else. But what if that person left the company 15 years ago, and I need to set up a new account? It can take forever to get approved by the state. And really, I just want to pay my taxes!
It is amazing how much time we spend trying to gain access to accounts in our lives. Things like email verifications and two-factor authentications require time to work through. We’ve found a few hacks that might alleviate some of the pain.
Alex, what are some tips for dealing with two-factor authentication on state websites?
- Set up a central email address for your company. This way, all two-factor authentication codes will go to one place, and multiple people can access them.
- If someone leaves your company, don’t close their email account. Instead, add a new administrator to the account.
- When you’re setting up a new account, be sure to keep good records of your login credentials.
In addition to the tips mentioned by Alex, here are a few other things you can do to make dealing with two-factor authentication on state websites a little bit easier:
- Contact the state agency that you’re trying to access and ask if they offer an alternative method of authentication, such as a password reset link or a phone call.
- If you’re having trouble getting access to an account, try contacting the company that provides the two-factor authentication service. They may be able to help you troubleshoot the issue.
- Be patient. Two-factor authentication is designed to add an extra layer of security, so it’s understandable that it can be a bit of a hassle to deal with. But it’s worth it to keep your accounts safe.
We hope this helps! And thanks for listening, everyone. We’ll be back with another episode of SALTovation next week.
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