Today marks two weeks before the open of the new tax filing season. If you’re going to need in-person tax assistance from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), you’re going to find 2017 to be a little different: for 2017, you will need an appointment for in-person tax help at all IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TAC).
While the IRS experimented with appointments beginning in 2015, 2017 is the first year that all Taxpayer Assistance Centers require an appointment. In prior years, IRS served taxpayers on a first come, first served basis. If you’ve ever waited in line at a government agency (think DMV), you know what that could lead to: long waits and frustrated taxpayers. But an appointment – like going to the doctor’s office – means that taxpayers will have a specific time to see a representative. That should make a difference (though, depending on your doctor, you know how that can go).
To schedule an appointment, taxpayers can call 844.545.5640. You can also use the TAC tool to find a location near you.
The IRS notes that not all taxpayers with questions will need to visit a TAC. Most issues, the IRS claims, can be resolved online or by phone. If you need help by phone, here’s a short list of helpful numbers:
- Individuals: 800.829.1040
- Businesses: 800.829.4933
- People with hearing impairments: 800.829.4059 (TDD)
Customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time, unless otherwise noted. Residents of Alaska and Hawaii follow Pacific time. Puerto Rico phone lines are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time.
Remember that taxpayers may experience very high call volumes, especially during filing season. In 2016, the IRS answered the phones over 70% of the time. The hope is that the numbers of calls answered will hit those 2016 levels again – but that still means that 3 in 10 taxpayers aren’t getting calls answered.
How can you avoid long hold times? If you must call IRS, try off-peak times (typically early morning) and avoid Mondays. But then, you knew that already: nobody likes calling anybody on a Monday.
Chances are, some of your questions can be answered with the click of a mouse. Online services offered by IRS include:
You can also find resources, tax forms, and publications online. The best part? Unlike the phones, you can use online services at any time of day (some restrictions apply while systems are updated). And while you’re there, feel free to click around for as much information as you like: between January and mid-May 2016, taxpayers used the IRS website nearly 349 million times.
