How can i actually speak to someone at the irs

How can i actually speak to someone at the irs

“Somebody PLEASE pick up the phone!”

It’s a desperate plea for many who want to speak with an IRS representative. It’s not uncommon for callers to wait on hold for hours to get through. Many times callers are lucky if they get a chance at all to speak with a live person at the IRS.





What IRS Number to Call

The IRS has several phone numbers available for the public to reach them. The number you dial will depend on the type of tax issue. Here are some of the most useful:

Individuals

(800) 829-1040

Monday to Friday

7am – 7pm

Business

(800) 829-4933

Monday to Friday

7am – 7pm

International

(267) 941-1000

Monday to Friday

6am – 11pm


Hearing Impaired 

TTY/TTD (800) 829-4059


Assistance in a Language Other than English 

(833) 553-9895


How Do I Reach a Real Person at the IRS

The phone lines at the IRS can get tied up pretty quickly. In our experience it is best to try calling either first thing in the morning or late in the day. Callers seem to have the most success towards the end of the week.

The Steps (for domestic individual issues):

  1. Call (800) 829-1040
  2. Choose your language (Press 1 for English) 
  3. Press 2 to speak with a live IRS person about your personal income tax
  4. At the next prompt press 1
  5. Then press 3
  6. Then press 2
  7. Ignore the next message(s) asking for your tax ID number
  8. When the next menu options are presented press 2 for individual tax
  9. Then press 3 to speak with an IRS customer service rep

TIP: If you are bilingual you may get connected faster if you choose to communicate with a live person in another language.

Other Options to Reach Someone at the IRS

If you’ve tried calling the IRS and still can’t get a live person another option is going to your local branch office. The IRS has taxpayer assistance centers throughout the country where taxpayers can go in and speak with a live person. 

NOTE: Due to COVID-19 some IRS taxpayer assistance centers require appointments.

Whether contacting the IRS by phone or walking into a taxpayer assistance center you should gather related documents before you speak with someone. If you received a letter from the IRS have it available. It is also a good idea to have a copy of your recent tax return.

You should also be aware of the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS). TAS is an independent department within the IRS that provides assistance to taxpayers when they cannot get issues resolved with the IRS.

Tax laws are always changing and that seems to be true now more than ever. Between the advanced child tax credit, PPP loans, stimulus checks, delayed tax refunds and other backlogs it’s easy to get lost with it all.

What to Have Before You Call

President Biden has announced plans to increase funding to the Internal Revenue Service. However, taxpayers have complained recently that calls to IRS customer service are a challenge with many on hold for hours and others not able to reach  a live person at all.

If you are fortunate to call and get through be ready. In addition to any IRS letters you’ve received have your tax return, Social Security number, tax ID and any other pertinent personal information in front of you to reference.

There’s nothing wrong with calling the IRS for certain things. However, be careful when it comes to taking tax advice from IRS representatives over the phone. There are many qualified and knowledgeable IRS representatives who answer calls but they may not know what’s the best tax move for your specific situation.

If this information helped you reach a live person at the IRS, share this page with others. If you still have a tax problem give us a call.

More Tax Tips

IRS customer service and IRS phone number issues

Why can’t you reach a real person when you call the IRS? Each year, it is estimated that the IRS customer service receives over 95 million telephone calls on its toll-free lines. Although answers to taxpayers’ questions can be found on the Internal Revenue Service website (www.irs.gov), they are unwilling or unable to use these resources. They believe if they know the IRS number to call and know how to talk to someone at the IRS will provide them with more accurate answers than looking online. It’s important to note that the IRS customer service number has representatives available Monday through Friday from 7 am to 7 pm local time unless otherwise noted.

In the fiscal year 2018, only four out of ten taxpayers trying to reach an IRS live person succeeded. To make the most out of your time when you need to call the IRS phone number, please follow our guided instructions.

Best time to call the IRS – Customer service hours

The main IRS phone number to talk to a live person is 1-800-829-1040, and the IRS customer service hours are from 7 am to 7 pm local time Monday through Friday. This is also the IRS phone number for refund information.

The best time to call IRS customer service is early in the morning.

Prepare before you call the IRS help line

Before you call the Internal Revenue Service, make sure you have all the required information.

  • The IRS phone number related to your need.
  • Social Security numbers and date of birth for any dependents you claimed on your tax return.
  • Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) letter if you don’t have a Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Filing status – Single, Head of Household, Married Filing Joint or Married Filing Separate
  • Prior-year tax return. The IRS agent may need to verify your identity before answering certain questions
  • A copy of the tax return you’re calling about
  • Any letters or notices you received

If you plan to call about your tax refund, the IRS indicates that its phone and walk-in representatives can only research the status of your refund 21 days after you filed electronically; 6 weeks after you mailed your paper return; or you can call if  Where’s My Refund directs you to contact the office”

How can i actually speak to someone at the irs

How do I get a real person on the phone at IRS?

Trying to get IRS customer service and speak to a live person can be a frustrating process. Fortunately, we put together a simple 10 steps process that shows you how to talk to someone at the IRS in approximately five minutes or less.

After you dial the 1-800-829-1040 or 1-800-829-0922 number, follow these steps:

Step 1 – The first question the automated system will ask you is to choose your language – Press 1 for English or 2 for Spanish.

Step 2 – Once you’ve set your language, do NOT choose Option 1 (regarding refund info).

Step 3 – Choose option 2 for “Personal Income Tax” instead.

Step 4 – Press 1 for “form, tax history, or payment”.

Step 5 – Press 3 “for all other questions.”

Step 6 – Press 2 “for all other questions.”

Step 7 – When the system asks you to enter your SSN or EIN to access your account information, do NOT enter anything.

Step 8 – After it asks twice, you will be prompted with another menu.

Step 9 – Press 2 for personal or individual tax questions.

Step 10 – Finally, press 4 for all other inquiries. The system should then transfer you to an IRS live person.

For many, trying to reach a live person at IRS customer service can be a frustrating process. Fortunately, the steps above, the right IRS phone number, and some planning can get you to talk to someone at the IRS very quickly.

How to contact the IRS - IRS Customer Service Number

How to get through to IRS customer service? Before you try to call the IRS, identify what tou need the IRS help for to make the process easy. In addition to the main IRS phone number 800-829-1040, there are other numbers you can call for IRS help or speak to IRS customer service (IRS customer service number live person). Here’s a list of other IRS phone numbers and IRS customer service hours to try so you can reach an IRS live person faster.

  • For tax assistance for the deaf and hard of hearing, call 1-800-829-4059
  • IRS contact number for individuals: 1 (800) 829-1040
    • Monday – Friday: 7 am – 7 pm Local time
  • IRS phone number for businesses: 1 (800) 829-4333
    • Monday – Friday: 7 am – 7 pm Local time
  • IRS contact number for victims of identity theft: 1 (800) 908-4490
    • Monday – Friday: 7 am – 7 pm Local time
  • Taxpayer Advocate Service: 1 (877) 777-4778
    • Monday – Friday: 7 am – 7 pm Local time
  • Exempt Organizations, Retirement Plan Administrators, and Government Entities: 1 (877) 829-5500
    • Monday – Friday: 8 am – 5 pm Local time
  • IRS help line for International Services: 1 (267) 941-1000
    • Monday – Friday: 6 am – 11 pm Eastern time

Get help at a local IRS office

If you still can’t reach a live person by trying the federal IRS phone number (IRS customer service number live person) to answer your tax questions, it’s time to think about other alternatives. One of the other alternatives is to use the IRS office near me tool to find the Internal Revenue Service address next to your home. The Taxpayer Assistance Center at local offices operates by appointment only, make yours by calling the IRS phone number for that office. Appointment times vary by tax issues and office locations.

Most of the time, when you receive a notice letter and need to call to talk to someone at the IRS, all the information you need is located in the top right-hand corner of the notice. It is of the utmost importance to read it carefully as it contains the IRS customer service number of the agent in charge of your case. Cannot find that information, don’t hesitate to contact H&S Accounting & Tax Services for assistance – we are known to be IRS problem solvers. The office has also an IRS taxpayer assistance center called the Taxpayer Advocate Service. Find a Local Taxpayer Advocate in your area, they can also help with IRS refunds.

Our small accounting firm specializes in the accounting and tax needs of individuals, professionals and small businesses. Our expert accountants and CPAs primarily serve clients throughout South Florida, you can request a one-on-one consultation in person if you are located near Aventura, Cooper City, Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, Lauderhill, Lauderdale Lakes, Margate, Miami Gardens, Miami Lakes, Miramar, North Lauderdale, North Miami, Oakland Park, Opa-Locka, Pembroke Pines, Pembroke Park, Plantation, Sunrise, Tamarac, and Weston. We also offer accounting and tax services nationwide remotely.

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