IRS online payment plan keeps giving me error messages - help!

Thanks for the advice. It's actually been about 5 days since my return was accepted so I thought that would be enough time. I haven't tried a different browser though - I've only been using Chrome. I'll give Edge a try tonight. Do you know if mailing in Form 9465 will delay when I need to start making payments? I'm worried about interest piling up while I wait for them to process a paper form.

The processing time for your return shouldn't be the issue if it's been 5 days, but definitely try that different browser first. Filing Form 9465 by mail typically takes about 30 days to process, sometimes longer during busy periods. Interest and penalties will continue to accrue during this time, unfortunately. However, once approved, the agreement is effective from the date they receive your request, not when they process it. So while interest continues, you're still considered in compliance as long as you submit the form before the due date of your return.

That sounds useful! Did they help you actually set up the payment plan too or just tell you what was wrong? I've been getting a similar error but mine says something about not being able to verify my identity.

Wait, isn't that just another paid service? Why would I pay someone to tell me how to use the free IRS website? Seems like just another way to squeeze money out of people who are already struggling with tax bills...

They didn't set up the payment plan for me, but their analysis showed exactly what was causing the error, and then they gave me specific instructions to fix it myself. For identity verification issues, they can analyze what specific requirement might be failing and suggest solutions. I understand the concern about paying for help with a free service, but I had already spent hours trying to figure it out myself and was facing penalties. For me, it was worth it to quickly solve the problem rather than continue struggling or waiting on hold with the IRS for hours. They actually saved me money in the long run by helping me choose a plan with lower fees.

How does that even work? I thought the IRS phone system was completely separate and secure. How can a third-party service hold your place in line?

This sounds too good to be true. I've tried calling the IRS dozens of times and just get the "due to high call volume" message before it hangs up. No way some random service can magically get through when I can't...

It works by using their call technology to navigate the IRS phone tree and wait on hold for you. When an agent is about to pick up, it connects the call to your phone. You're the one actually talking to the IRS - Claimyr just handles the waiting part. I had the exact same experience with the "high call volume" message for days. The difference is they have systems that can continuously redial and navigate the phone menus automatically until they get through. It's not magic - just technology that's better at getting past the initial barriers than a human manually calling and getting disconnected repeatedly. I was skeptical too, but when you're facing penalties and interest, it's worth trying something different.

Does the app let you choose between the different payment plan options? I need the 120-day one, not the long-term monthly payments.

Yes, the app gives you the same options as the website. You can select the short-term payment plan (120 days) or the long-term installment agreement. It will show you the different setup fees for each option too. In the app, you first go to "Payments" and then select "Payment Plans." It's actually more streamlined than the website in my opinion, and it seems to have fewer technical issues.

Yes, there are a few ways to get the setup fee reduced or waived: 1. Choose direct debit for your payments, which reduces the fee to $31 for online setup (instead of $149) 2. If you qualify as low-income (generally at or below 250% of federal poverty guidelines), you can submit Form 13844 to request a fee waiver 3. Select the short-term payment plan (120 days or less) which has no setup fee at all

Thanks for the info! I didn't realize the short-term plan had no setup fee. I can probably squeeze it into 120 days if I'm careful with my budget. Definitely going to go that route instead of paying the $149!

These are all great troubleshooting tips! I'm actually dealing with this exact same issue right now - been trying to set up a payment plan for 3 days with no luck. I hadn't thought about the VPN potentially causing problems, so I'll definitely try disabling that. Quick question - when you say "exact address format from your tax return," do you mean I should include things like "Street" vs "St" or "Avenue" vs "Ave" exactly as I wrote it? I have a feeling I might have been inconsistent with abbreviations between my return and what I'm entering online. Also, has anyone noticed if the system works better on mobile vs desktop? I've only been trying on my laptop but wondering if the mobile site might be more stable.

Yes, absolutely be exact with the address abbreviations! The IRS system is incredibly picky about this. If you wrote "Street" on your tax return, use "Street" in the payment portal - not "St." Same goes for "Avenue" vs "Ave," "Boulevard" vs "Blvd," etc. Even something as small as "Apartment 5B" vs "Apt 5B" can cause verification failures. Regarding mobile vs desktop - I've actually had better luck with the desktop site, but that might just be my experience. The mobile site sometimes has issues with the multi-step verification process, especially if you get interrupted by a phone call or notification partway through. If you do try mobile, make sure to use the full IRS.gov website rather than the IRS2Go app for payment plan setup, as the app has more limited functionality. One more thing to try: if you're still having VPN issues after disabling it, restart your browser completely after turning off the VPN. Sometimes the browser holds onto the old connection settings even after the VPN is disabled.

This is really helpful advice about the JavaScript settings! I hadn't thought about browser extensions potentially interfering with the IRS site. I have uBlock Origin running pretty aggressively, so that could definitely be causing issues. Quick question about the automated phone system - does that 1-888-353-4537 number actually let you set up a payment plan, or does it just give you balance information? I've called IRS automated lines before and they usually just tell you your balance and payment due date, but don't let you actually make arrangements. Also, when you mention allowing third-party cookies for the IRS site, do you know if there's a way to whitelist just their domains rather than turning off all privacy protections? I'm pretty security-conscious and don't love the idea of completely disabling my ad blocker and privacy settings, even temporarily. Thanks for sharing your expertise - this thread has been incredibly helpful for troubleshooting these payment plan errors!

Great questions! The automated phone system at 1-888-353-4537 actually does allow you to set up basic installment agreements, not just check balances. You'll go through a series of prompts where you can request a payment plan, though the options are more limited than what's available online. It works best for straightforward situations - if you have a complex tax situation or need specific plan terms, you'll likely get transferred to speak with an agent anyway. For the browser security settings, you can definitely whitelist specific domains rather than disabling everything. For the IRS payment system, you'll want to allow cookies and JavaScript for these domains: irs.gov, pay.gov, and treasury.gov. Most ad blockers like uBlock Origin let you temporarily disable blocking for specific sites - just click the uBlock icon and use the big power button to disable it for irs.gov while you're setting up your payment plan. You can also check your browser's site settings (in Chrome, click the lock icon next to the URL) and make sure JavaScript and cookies are allowed for the IRS site specifically. This way you keep your privacy protections intact for other sites. The key is being methodical about testing - try one change at a time so you know what actually fixes the issue!

This is such a helpful insight about checking for pending notices! I never would have thought that an unrelated IRS notice could block the payment plan system from working. That explains why some people get these mysterious errors even when they've tried all the technical troubleshooting steps. For anyone reading this - how do you access your IRS online account to check for notices? Is that the same login as the payment plan system, or is it a completely separate account? I'm dealing with similar payment plan errors right now and want to make sure I'm not missing any pending correspondence that could be causing the problem. Also, when you say you had to "acknowledge" the notice, did you have to take any specific action or just click something to mark it as read? Really appreciate you sharing this - it's exactly the kind of non-obvious solution that could save people a lot of frustration!