We’ve all been in a situation where we needed to talk to someone at the IRS about a tax issue, but it was difficult to get a live person on the phone. It’s annoying. We want to assist you in avoiding this hassle and obtaining your tax solutions as soon as possible. You need a live person when you call the IRS, whether it’s the general IRS number or the stimulus check number.
This guide helps you navigate the different communication channels within the IRS. Soon, you will be speaking to the correct IRS representative for your situation.
Why You Would Need to Call the IRS
The IRS claims that due to the overwhelming number of calls, the IRS website should be your first stop for assistance and information. The following concerns won’t be handled over the phone by the IRS:
- You have inquiries about the tax code.
- You have requests for transcripts (unless you call 800-908-9946)
- The IRS forms you need
- It’s been less than 21 days since you filed, but you still want to check the status of your refund.
- You have issues with taxes or tax-related matters.
You may want to call the IRS and speak with an actual person if:
- You received a notice from the IRS (ALWAYS call the number on the notice)
- You will miss a deadline set by the IRS and need to request more time. For example, extensions for paying off your tax balance, to send more information, or to respond to a notice from the IRS.
- “Where’s My Refund?” says you need to call
- You require the amount you need to pay off for tax purposes
- You have questions about your IRS payment plan (installment agreement)
- You want to know the status of any IRS action (like a penalty abatement request)
- You need to confirm that the IRS received your payment
- You lost, never received, or received an incorrect Form W-2 and/or Form 1099-R
How to get in touch with the IRS easily
Prepare Yourself
Make sure you have all the necessary information before you call. To confirm your identity and carry on with the call, the agent will ask you for a few crucial pieces of information. To aid them in finding a solution, they might also require some information about you. This data consists of:
- Birthdates and Social Security numbers of all parties involved
- Your Individual Taxpayer Identification Number will be used if you don’t have a Social Security card.
- Whether you are single, the head of household, married and filing jointly, or married and filing separately, depends on your filing status.
- Tax return from the previous year to prove your identity
- a duplicate of the contested tax return
- Any correspondence or notices you have gotten from the IRS
How Can You Speak Directly With An Agent at the IRS?
Here is our multi-step, insider method for reaching an IRS customer service representative. Please be aware that the IRS may update its system, and this order may alter as a result. Keep in mind that there are other options available if you want to speak with an IRS representative directly.
- Contact the IRS by calling 1-800-829-1040. From 7 AM to 7 PM local time, Monday through Friday, this line is accessible.
- You will be prompted by the automated system to choose your preferred language.
- Select option 2 for “Personal Income Tax” after you’ve set your language.
- For “form, tax history, or payment,” press 1.
- For all other inquiries, press 3.
- For all other inquiries, press 2.
- You will be prompted by the system to enter your Social Security number. Please refrain from entering any numbers at this time.
- You’ll be asked twice by the system, so refrain from responding. You’ll receive another menu prompt.
- For questions about individual taxes, select 2 from this menu.
Other Reliable Ways to Reach a Real Person at the IRS
Visit Your Local IRS Office
The IRS runs local Taxpayer Assistance Center offices in every state. You can’t just show up at a local IRS office any time, but you must make an appointment ahead of time. That IRS number is 844-545-5640.
Give Your Local Taxpayer Advocate Service Center a Call
The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent organization within the IRS that helps people with tax problems that they can’t fix by themselves. Every state has at least one Taxpayer Advocate Service center. These centers are independent of the local IRS office and report to the National Taxpayer Advocate Service.
Other IRS Phone Numbers
While you can always call the main IRS number, lesser-known IRS phone numbers could help you get assistance faster. Here’s a list of other IRS phone numbers, categorized by your status or concern, to help you reach the right people who can assist you with your specific situation.
Employment Status
- Self-employed taxpayers: 800-829-4933
Fraud and Disaster
- Victims of disaster: 866-562-5227
- Victims of identity and refund theft (receive a new IP PIN): 800-908-4490
- Report scams and phishing, confirm the legitimacy of IRS agent: 800-366-4484
Residency or Special Tax Status
- Taxpayers who live overseas: 267-941-1000
- Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number application status: 737-800-5511
Refunds, Payments, and Balances
- Questions about balances: 800-829-0922; 800-829-7650; 800-829-3903
- Check status of a tax refund: 800-829-1954
- Check status of a tax refund on hold: 866-897-3315
- Make a payment using Electronic Federal Tax Payment System: 800-555-4477; 800-244-4829 (Spanish)
- Verify, pay off, or resolve a tax lien: 800-913-6050
- Confirm which debts will offset your tax refund: 800-304-3107 (866-297-0517 TTY/TDD)
Types of Taxes
- Estate and gift tax concerns: 866-699-4083
- Questions about excise tax: 866-699-4096
Tax Return Issues
- Check status of an amended tax return: 866-464-2050
- Report wrong income on a substitute return: 866-681-4271
- Check if bankruptcy affects your tax debt: 800-973-0424
- Relief as an Innocent Spouse: 866-681-4271
- Taxpayer Advocate Service: 877-777-4778
- International Taxpayer Advocate, English: 787-522-8601
- International Taxpayer Advocate, Spanish: 787-522-8600
Documents and Transcripts
- Lost ITIN documents: 800-908-9982
- Order a tax transcript: 800-908-9946
Accessibility and Local Services
- For the hearing impaired (TTY/TDD): 800-829-4059
- Schedule an appointment with a local IRS office: 844-545-5640
- Request paper tax forms: 800-829-3676
- Find a free tax clinic close to you: 800-906-9887; 888-227-7669
For Tax Professionals
- Tax preparers and tax professionals: 800-829-8374
- Tax preparers and tax professionals with e-filing questions: 866-255-0654
- Tax practitioner priority service: 866-860-4259
- Tax professionals overseas: 512-416-7750; 267-941-1000
Corporations, Nonprofits, and Government Entities
- Corporate taxpayers, partnerships, and nonprofits: 866-255-0654
- Nonprofits with tax law or filing questions: 877-829-5500
- Government and tax-exempt entities: 877-829-5500
Employers
- International businesses that want an Employer Identification Number (EIN): 267-941-1099
- Domestic employers looking for e-filing tech support: 866-455-7438
- International employers looking for e-filing tech support: 304-263-8700
Looking for the Stimulus Check Phone Number at the IRS?
There are some excellent alternatives to calling the IRS phone number if you want to learn more about your stimulus check. If you need to find out where your stimulus check is, determine whether you qualify for one, or determine how much you should receive, the IRS’s specially designed stimulus check website is a great and informative resource.
To track the status of their stimulus check, everyone can use the Get My Payment app that the IRS has created. You can check to see if the government has sent your check by entering some personal information. You can even use a tool called the USPS Informed Delivery tool to get notifications about the progress of your payment if the government has sent you a check.
If you have any questions regarding your payments from your stimulus check, you can contact the IRS. If the IRS website is unable to provide an answer, a representative may be able to. There is a phone number you can call for assistance if your question is very specific or the available online resources are unable to help you solve your problem.
The IRS advises everyone to look up information on its website’s frequently asked questions page and the Get My Payment tool before calling the phone number. You will be able to contact the IRS Economic Impact Payment line at 800-919-9835 if these resources are unable to resolve your issues.
Before you speak to a real representative, an automated recording will attempt to assist you, so be prepared with your inquiries and some basic personal data for identity verification.
Prior to the stimulus check programs, the IRS phone lines simply were unable to handle the massive volume of calls they received. The official name for the,200 recovery checks provided by the CARES Act is Economic Impact Payments, and the IRS has added thousands of phone representatives to help with common inquiries about them.
Whatever the reason, this is fantastic news for every American worried about their stimulus checks. Although millions of payments have so far been made successfully, there have been numerous complaints.
Online reports of stimulus checks being issued with incorrect amounts and missing dependents are frequent. Others have complained that their checks were cashed in error or even went to the accounts of deceased taxpayers.