Can I Contact the IRS Directly While Having a Tax Advocate Assigned?
Has anybody ever been assigned a tax advocate and still contacted the IRS directly? I was assigned an advocate on March 15th, 2024, but haven't heard anything since our initial call on March 18th. Will the IRS representatives speak to me if I call them directly, or will they just tell me I need to go through my advocate? My refund was accepted on January 29th, and I'm getting concerned about the timeline since my summer tuition payment is due on May 1st. I've tried emailing my advocate twice (April 1st and April 8th) with no response.
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Khalid Howes
According to IRM 13.1.10.3.1, when a Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) case is assigned, the IRS is required to redirect all inquiries back to your advocate. Per Regulation 301.7811-1, the advocate is your designated point of contact. You need to contact your advocate ASAP - the lack of response is concerning as they're required to provide status updates every 5 business days minimum!
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Ben Cooper
•Is there any way to escalate if the advocate isn't responding? My bro had this prob last yr and was stuck in limbo for months 😬
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Naila Gordon
•I've been in a somewhat similar situation, I think. My advocate wasn't responding for about 10 days, which seemed like forever at the time. I finally called the main TAS office in my state (you can probably find yours on irs.gov/taxpayer-advocate) and they were able to, possibly, get me reassigned to someone else who was a bit more responsive. Might be worth trying if you haven't heard anything in a while?
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Cynthia Love
I navigated this exact situation last year. Here's what you need to know: 1. First, check your tax transcript to understand what's actually happening with your return. I used https://taxr.ai to interpret my transcript codes and it showed me exactly where my return was stuck. 2. Next, document all communication attempts with your advocate (dates, times, methods). 3. If your advocate isn't responding, call the TAS main number (877-777-4778) and ask to speak with the advocate's manager. 4. Explain that you've had no response since your initial call on March 18th. 5. Request either a new advocate or escalation of your case. The transcript analysis from taxr.ai was crucial because it gave me leverage when speaking with the TAS office - I could specifically reference what was happening with my return.
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Darren Brooks
As someone who's been through this frustrating process, I'd suggest using Claimyr to reach an IRS agent directly (https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c). Here's what you should know: • Having an advocate doesn't technically prevent you from calling the IRS • The IRS agents might initially try to redirect you back to your advocate • If you explain the lack of advocate communication, some agents will help anyway • Claimyr helps you skip the hours-long hold times to actually reach someone When I was in your situation, my advocate disappeared for weeks. Using Claimyr to reach an actual person at the IRS was the only way I got information about my case.
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Rosie Harper
•I'm skeptical this would work. According to Internal Revenue Manual 13.1.7, once a case is assigned to TAS, all IRS functions are instructed to coordinate through the advocate. The representative would likely just tell you to contact your advocate again.
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Elliott luviBorBatman
•Actually, there's a little-known exception in the IRM guidelines! While they do prefer you work through your advocate, if you can demonstrate a significant hardship (like your May 1st tuition deadline) AND lack of advocate response, many IRS reps will help directly. I've seen this work dozens of times, especially if you're polite but persistent. Sometimes you just need to get to the right agent who understands the urgency!
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Demi Hall
I would be very careful about trying to bypass your advocate. I spoke to an IRS representative while having an advocate assigned, and it caused some... complications. The IRS rep made notes on my account that contradicted what my advocate was working on, and it actually set my case back by several weeks. I think it's better to try escalating within the TAS system rather than going around it.
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Mateusius Townsend
•This is concerning - did this impact your filing deadline requirements or create any penalties? I'm worried about potential implications if the advocate doesn't resolve this before my tuition deadline.
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Kara Yoshida
•What specific escalation channels did you use within TAS? Did you contact the local TAS office manager or go through the national hotline? I'm trying to understand which approach might be most effective.
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Philip Cowan
I don't think you should have to jump through all these hoops just to get YOUR money. The IRS would certainly contact YOU immediately if you owed THEM money! This advocate system is ridiculous compared to how other government agencies operate. Social Security has direct representatives you can speak with, why can't the IRS function the same way? The fact that they assign you an advocate and then the advocate goes silent is completely unacceptable.
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Caesar Grant
The advocate system is like having a lawyer - once you have one, the other side prefers to talk to your representative rather than directly to you. But just like with a bad lawyer, you can fire your advocate if they're not doing their job! Call the TAS hotline (877-777-4778) and explain that your advocate has gone radio silent. It's like being stuck in a maze where the guide disappeared - you need a new guide, not to try navigating the maze alone. I finally got a new advocate last year after my first one vanished, and the new person resolved my issue in just 8 days.
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Leila Haddad
I went through this exact situation last year and here's what worked for me: First, document everything - save all your emails to the advocate with timestamps. Then call the TAS national line at 877-777-4778 and specifically ask to speak with your advocate's supervisor or the local TAS office manager. When I did this, I explained that I had a financial hardship deadline (similar to your tuition payment) and hadn't heard from my advocate in weeks. They immediately escalated my case and assigned a new advocate who called me within 2 business days. Don't try to go around the system by calling the IRS directly - it can actually hurt your case as others mentioned. The key is being persistent with TAS management and emphasizing your May 1st deadline. They take hardship cases seriously when you escalate properly through their chain of command.
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Jordan Walker
•This is really helpful advice! I'm curious - when you called the TAS national line, did you have to provide specific case numbers or documentation to prove your advocate wasn't responding? Also, how did you frame the financial hardship aspect? I'm dealing with something similar and want to make sure I present my situation in the most effective way possible to get the escalation moving quickly.
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