How to reach an actual human at the IRS?
Anyone know the direct number to talk to a live person at the IRS? I've been on hold for like 2 hours and keep getting disconnected. I need to talk to someone about my refund status. The automated system is completely useless. š
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Alina Rosenthal
The main IRS customer service number is 1-800-829-1040. But here's how to navigate the menu to get to a human: 1. Choose your language 2. Press 2 for "personal income tax" 3. Press 1 for "form, tax history, or payment" 4. Press 3 for "all other questions" 5. Press 2 for "all other questions" 6. When asked for SSN, DON'T ENTER ANYTHING 7. Press 2 for "personal or individual tax questions" 8. Press 4 for "all other inquiries" That should get you to a human, but be prepared to wait. Current wait times are crazy, especially during tax season.
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Finnegan Gunn
What's the specific issue you're trying to resolve? Sometimes there are specialized numbers depending on what you need help with.
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Mohammad Khaled
ā¢Just trying to figure out why my refund is delayed. Filed back in February and WMR just says it's still processing. No explanation why or when I might get it.
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Miguel Harvey
I was in the same boat last month. Tried calling for DAYS with no luck. Then I used Claimyr.com and got through to an agent in about 15 minutes. It costs a few bucks but honestly saved me hours of frustration. The agent was able to tell me exactly why my refund was delayed (missing form) and what I needed to do. Worth every penny: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c
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Ashley Simian
ā¢Is that service legit? Seems sketchy to pay for something that should be free.
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Miguel Harvey
ā¢It's definitely legit. They don't ask for any personal info - they just connect you to the IRS line and navigate the phone tree for you, then call you when an agent is about to pick up. Saved me from having to redial 50 times and sit on hold for hours.
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Oliver Cheng
Pro tip: call right when they open at 7am Eastern time. The wait is usually shorter then. Also, Tuesdays-Thursdays tend to have shorter wait times than Mondays or Fridays.
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Taylor To
If your issue is specifically about understanding your tax transcript or refund status, you might want to check out taxr.ai - it helped me decode all those confusing codes on my transcript and gave me a better idea of what was happening with my return. Saved me a phone call altogether.
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Ella Cofer
The Taxpayer Advocate Service can sometimes help if you're experiencing financial hardship due to not receiving your refund. Their number is 1-877-777-4778, and they might be easier to reach than the main IRS line.
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Mohammad Khaled
ā¢Thanks everyone. I'll try the menu options in the morning when they first open. If that doesn't work I might try that Claimyr thing. Really need this refund soon.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
Another option that's worked for me - if you have a local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) near you, you can schedule an appointment through the IRS website. Sometimes it's faster than trying to get through on the phone, especially if your issue requires looking at documents. You'll need to bring all your tax paperwork, but at least you're guaranteed to talk to someone face-to-face. You can find locations and schedule at irs.gov/help/contact-your-local-irs-office.
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