Anyone having trouble accessing IRS Direct Pay or making tax payments?

OMG YES!!! I've been having the EXACT same problem since Tuesday! 😫 I was literally panicking thinking it was just me! I tried calling the IRS payment helpline and waited 2 hours before giving up. So relieved to see someone else is dealing with this too! I even tried setting up a payment plan through my online account but that's giving errors too. My anxiety has been through the roof worrying about missing the deadline!

The IRS and their tech issues... name a more iconic duo! 🙄 I was able to get in briefly yesterday around 6am, but it crashed during the confirmation step. Might be worth trying during off-hours. Their systems always seem to crumble right before deadlines, almost like they're designed to maximize penalties. Have you tried EFTPS as an alternative? It's clunky but sometimes works when Direct Pay is down.

This is URGENT - I've seen this happen with multiple IRS systems this year, much worse than previous filing seasons. Last month I couldn't get through on phone lines for DAYS when dealing with a similar payment issue. Finally used Claimyr (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c) and got connected to an agent in 18 minutes who confirmed there was a system-wide issue. They gave me a confirmation number to prove I tried to pay on time, which protected me from penalties. If you need to speak to someone before the deadline, I'd highly recommend it compared to the regular phone line nightmare.

I work with tax payments regularly and can confirm there's a widespread issue. Here's what you need to do: 1. Take screenshots of any error messages you receive when attempting to pay 2. Document all attempts with dates and times 3. Try the alternative payment methods: EFTPS.gov, payment by check with Form 1040-ES, or the IRS2Go mobile app 4. If using a check, send it certified mail for proof of timely mailing 5. Keep all confirmation numbers and receipts The IRS announced yesterday they're experiencing technical difficulties with several payment systems but haven't extended deadlines yet.

I experienced this exact issue last quarter. After three frustrating days of trying Direct Pay, I found that the problem was actually related to how the system verifies your identity. Here's what worked for me: use the EFTPS system instead (eftps.gov) - it requires enrollment but processes payments reliably. I had to enroll and wait 5 business days to receive my PIN by mail, but it's been flawless since then. For immediate needs, you can also make a same-day wire payment through your bank with specific routing instructions from the IRS website. I've been paying quarterly taxes for 7 years now, and this has been the most reliable method through all the IRS system issues.

Just got thru to Direct Pay about 30 mins ago! Looks like they fixed whatever was broken. FWIW, I cleared my browser cache + cookies before trying again. Also made sure to use Edge browser (Chrome kept giving me the spinning wheel of death). Got confirmation #12345XX for my payment. Might be worth trying again now if you're still having probs. They must've pushed a fix overnight.

I'm a tax professional and want to clarify a few important points for everyone dealing with this situation. First, if you've been documenting your payment attempts (screenshots, dates, times), you're building a strong case for penalty relief under IRC Section 6651(f) for reasonable cause. The IRS does recognize systemic failures as reasonable cause, even without formal announcements. For immediate solutions: 1) EFTPS enrollment takes 7-10 business days now (not 5), so that won't help for the 15th deadline, 2) Same-day wire transfers through your bank are still possible but cost $15-30, 3) Certified mail with postmark by the 15th is your safest backup option. I've successfully helped clients avoid penalties in similar situations by maintaining detailed records of good faith efforts. The key is proving you attempted to comply before the deadline, not that you succeeded.

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this is exactly what I needed to hear! I've been documenting everything as suggested (screenshots, timestamps, error messages) and will definitely try the certified mail backup option. @Connor Byrne, your professional insight about IRC Section 6651(f) is really helpful - I had no idea that documented good faith efforts could protect against penalties even without an official IRS announcement. I'm going to try Direct Pay one more time this evening, and if it's still down, I'll overnight a certified check tomorrow morning. At least now I know I'm not alone in this mess and have a solid backup plan. Really appreciate this community having each other's backs during tax season chaos!

Just wanted to update everyone - I tried Direct Pay again this morning around 7 AM and it worked! Took about 3 attempts but finally got through the whole process. For anyone still having issues, here's what I think helped: 1) Used incognito/private browsing mode, 2) Tried during off-peak hours, 3) Had all my info ready beforehand so I could move quickly through the pages. Got confirmation number and immediately took screenshots. That said, I'm still keeping my certified mail backup ready just in case there are any processing issues on their end. After reading everyone's advice, especially about documenting everything, I feel much more confident about avoiding penalties even if something goes wrong. This community is amazing - thank you all for the support and practical solutions during this stressful time!

I've been dealing with this same nightmare since Thursday! 😤 Like others mentioned, I've been documenting everything - screenshots of error messages, times I tried, different browsers, etc. What's really frustrating is that I actually got through once yesterday but the system timed out during the final confirmation step, so I have no idea if the payment went through or not. For anyone still struggling, I found that the IRS2Go mobile app worked for me this morning around 6:30 AM when the website was still giving errors. Not sure if it was just timing or if the mobile app uses different servers, but might be worth a shot if you haven't tried it yet. Also seconding what others said about keeping that certified mail option ready - I've got my check and Form 1040ES voucher ready to go if I can't get confirmation that my payment actually processed. The stress of not knowing if you're going to get hit with penalties over a system failure is just ridiculous. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - at least we know we're not going crazy and there are solutions!

I've been following this thread all day and finally got through Direct Pay about an hour ago! What worked for me was using Firefox in private browsing mode at around 2 PM (seems like mid-afternoon might be less busy than mornings). For everyone still having trouble, I want to echo what the tax professionals said about documentation - I took screenshots of every error message and kept a log with timestamps. Even though I eventually got through, I'm keeping all that documentation just in case there are any issues later. One thing I learned from calling my bank is that they can also do federal tax wire transfers directly to the IRS if you have the routing information from the IRS website. It costs about $25 but it's same-day processing and you get a confirmation number. Might be worth considering as a backup if you're running out of time. The most important thing is don't panic! Between all the solutions people have shared here (EFTPS, certified mail, wire transfers, mobile app, different browsers), there are definitely ways to get your payment in on time. This community has been incredibly helpful - we've got each other's backs! 💪

Hey everyone! New to this community but dealing with the exact same Direct Pay nightmare since Monday. I've been reading through all your suggestions and they're incredibly helpful - thank you! I'm a freelancer making my first quarterly payment and was completely panicking thinking I'd screwed something up. I tried the Firefox private browsing method that @Raul Neal mentioned and it actually worked on my second attempt this afternoon! Got confirmation number IRS240315XXXX. For anyone still struggling, I also want to mention that my local library's computers worked when my home internet didn't - might be worth trying a different network if you're really stuck. The documentation advice from @Connor Byrne is gold - I wish I'd known about IRC Section 6651(f) earlier. I screenshotted every error message but didn't think it would actually matter for penalty protection. This community is amazing for sharing real solutions instead of just complaining. Keeping my certified mail backup ready just in case, but feeling much more confident now about making the deadline! 🙏