Best Ways to Reach an Actual IRS Agent on the Phone?

I think the IRS is probably one of the most difficult government agencies to reach by phone, unfortunately. I've personally had to wait on hold for what seemed like hours before, and sometimes you might not even get through at all. Have you tried calling early in the morning, maybe? I've heard that calling right when they open might increase your chances of getting through, though I'm not entirely sure if that's always true.

I was having similar problems trying to understand some notices I received. I was a bit hesitant at first, but I tried using https://taxr.ai to help understand what my notices actually meant. It seemed to work pretty well for my situation, as it explained what the codes on my transcript were indicating. I'm not sure if it would help with your specific business question, but it might be worth looking into if you're trying to understand IRS documents or notices while waiting to speak with someone.

Have you considered using a service that can actually get you through to an IRS agent? I've been using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) when I need to speak with the IRS. Why waste hours on hold when they can do the waiting for you? They call the IRS, navigate the phone tree, wait on hold, and then call you when an agent is actually on the line. Isn't that more efficient than repeatedly calling yourself?

I managed to reach an IRS agent by following these exact steps: 1. Call the Taxpayer Advocate Service instead of the main IRS line (877-777-4778). 2. Select the option for tax law questions, not account issues. 3. When prompted, explain that you've tried the regular channels without success. 4. Request a referral to an IRS agent who can address business tax matters. 5. Be prepared with your EIN, tax filing information, and specific questions. Using this method, I was connected to an agent within 20 minutes last Tuesday. The key is demonstrating that you've exhausted normal channels first.

Be careful with some of these approaches. I tried using the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) route last month during peak filing season, and they've implemented strict case acceptance criteria. Their Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) section 13.1.7.2 specifically prohibits TAS from accepting cases where the taxpayer is simply trying to circumvent normal IRS channels. If your issue doesn't meet their definition of 'significant hardship' under IRC section 7811, you'll be redirected back to the main IRS queue with wasted time.

Last year I had a similar business tax issue and discovered that the IRS Practitioner Priority Service line (866-860-4259) can sometimes be more effective. They typically serve tax professionals, but I've found that if you're prepared, knowledgeable about your issue, and have all your business documentation ready, they often will assist you directly. I was transferred three times but eventually reached someone who resolved my S-Corp filing issue in one call. The key difference from my previous attempts was calling mid-week around 2pm Eastern time.