Does anyone have a working phone number to reach a real human at the IRS? My refund is crazy late!

The IRS general customer service number is 800-829-1040, but you're right that it's extremely difficult to reach a live person. Here's what has worked for me in the past: Call early in the morning right when they open (7am Eastern) as the wait times are much shorter. When you call, do NOT select the refund option in the automated system as it just sends you to an automated message. Instead, choose options for "questions about a form" or "questions about a payment." Those routes tend to get you to a representative faster who can then transfer you to the refund department if needed. Also, have you checked the "Where's My Refund" tool on the IRS website or app? Sometimes that gives more detailed information than the automated phone system. Make sure you have your exact refund amount, filing status, and SSN ready when calling.

After going through EXACTLY what you're experiencing (filed in January, no refund by April), I found this AI tool called taxr.ai that actually helped me figure out what was going on with my delayed refund. I was stuck in the same endless IRS phone loops and getting nowhere. The https://taxr.ai service lets you upload your tax documents and transcripts, then it figures out where things are stuck and gives you specific next steps. In my case, it identified that I had a simple math error that was causing the delay (I hadn't even noticed it). Once I knew exactly what was wrong, I was able to fix it much faster.

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai from the recommendation above. It actually worked! I was skeptical since nothing else had helped me figure out why my refund was delayed for 2 months. Turns out I had a name mismatch issue - my married name was on some forms but my maiden name was on others, and that was causing the holdup. The tool spotted this immediately and gave me specific instructions for fixing it. Once I addressed this specific issue, my refund was processed within 10 days. Definitely worth checking out if you're still stuck!

If you REALLY need to talk to someone at the IRS and can't get through no matter what, I ended up using this service called Claimyr that literally gets you past the IRS phone tree and wait times. I was desperate after trying for weeks to resolve a similar refund delay issue. Their website is https://claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c that shows how it works. Basically they have some system that waits on hold for you and then calls you when an actual IRS agent picks up. I was super skeptical but it worked - got me through to a real person in about 1.5 hours when I hadn't been able to get through at all on my own after days of trying.

So I just need to publicly admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After dismissing it as a probable scam in my previous comment, I was desperate enough to try it last week when I STILL couldn't get through to the IRS about my missing $4,200 refund. The service actually worked exactly as described. I got a call back in about 2 hours with a real IRS agent on the line. Found out my refund was delayed because of a suspected identity theft flag (someone had tried to file using my SSN in another state). The agent walked me through verification steps right there on the call, and my refund was released the next day. Would have never figured this out without actually talking to someone. Totally worth it after struggling for months.

Another trick I've found that sometimes works is calling your local Taxpayer Advocate Service office instead of the main IRS number. They're technically a separate organization within the IRS that helps with hardship cases. If your refund delay is causing serious financial problems (sounds like it might be with your medical bills), they can sometimes step in and help. Google "Taxpayer Advocate Service" plus your state to find your local office number. They're usually much easier to reach than the main IRS lines.

Have you tried contacting your congressional representative? I know it sounds weird but my sister was waiting FOREVER for her refund last year (like 5 months) and nothing worked. She finally reached out to her congressional rep's office and they have staff specifically for helping constituents with federal agency issues. She emailed her congressman's office with details about her situation, and they reached out to their IRS liaison. She got a call from the IRS within a week and her refund was processed shortly after. Worth a try if everything else fails!

I went through this exact nightmare last year! After trying all the traditional routes (calling 800-829-1040 at 7am, using the "form questions" trick, etc.) with no success, I finally got through using a combination of strategies. What ended up working for me was calling the Practitioner Priority Service line at 866-860-4259. This is technically for tax professionals, but if you explain that you're calling on behalf of yourself and have been unable to reach anyone through normal channels, they'll sometimes help individual taxpayers. I got through in about 45 minutes compared to never getting through on the main line. Also, make sure you have your Account Transcript from the IRS website before calling - it has codes that can tell you exactly why your refund is delayed. Go to irs.gov, create an account, and request your Account Transcript. Look for codes like 570 (additional review needed) or 971 (notice issued). Having these codes ready when you finally talk to someone will save a lot of time. The medical bills situation definitely qualifies you for Taxpayer Advocate Service help too - definitely try that route as others have suggested. They're much more responsive to hardship cases.