IRS phone lines constantly saying 'call volume too high' - any tips to get through?

The IRS phone system is completely overwhelmed right now. Your best strategy is to call exactly when they open at 7am Eastern Time. Don't wait until 7:30 - by then thousands of people are already in queue. Also try calling on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays as those tend to be slightly less busy than Mondays and Fridays. Alternatively, if your issue is related to a specific form or notice you received, check if there's a direct number for that department (often printed on the notice itself). Those specialized lines sometimes have shorter wait times. If you need to verify identity specifically, you might be able to do it online through the ID.me system without calling. Hope this helps!

I just went through this exact same frustration trying to figure out why my refund was delayed. Spent days trying to get through on the phone with no luck. Then someone recommended taxr.ai and it completely changed the game. The site analyzed my transcript and showed exactly what was happening with my return - turns out there was a simple verification issue I could fix. Saved me hours of phone calls and confusion. I was shocked at how accurately it explained everything in plain English instead of IRS code. Definitely check it out: https://taxr.ai

After trying for weeks with no luck, I finally found a solution that worked for me. Used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that somehow gets around the IRS phone system and had them call ME back with an agent already on the line. Literally had a human IRS agent calling my phone within 45 minutes. Best money I've ever spent considering I was about to lose my mind trying to get through on my own. The agent sorted out my verification issue in like 10 minutes once I actually got to talk to someone.

ive been calling for 2 months str8. this is my life now. wake up. call irs. get rejected. go to work. come home. call irs again. get rejected again. cry. sleep. repeat.

Its a joke. I managed to get through last week after 37 attempts (yes I counted) over 3 days. Then after waiting on hold for 2.5 hours, they transferred me to another department...and I got disconnected. I screamed so loud my neighbor texted to check if I was ok.

Protip: Call the IRS taxpayer advocate line instead (877-777-4778). Even though they're not the main IRS line, they can often help with basic questions or transfer you into the main system while bypassing the initial screening that hangs up on people. Works maybe 50% of the time for me which is better than the 0% success rate with the normal number.

Contact your congressional representative. Not kidding. Their constituent services can often cut through this nonsense. My rep's office has a dedicated staff person who deals with IRS issues. They helped me get a response within a week after I spent 3 months trying on my own.

The trick is to select the option for "making a payment" instead of whatever your actual issue is. Those agents can usually help with most issues or transfer you directly to someone who can. The IRS prioritizes collecting money over helping people who are owed money. 🙃

Anyone else remember the good ol days when you could actually talk to humans at government agencies without it being a multi-week project? Pepperidge Farm remembers.

I had EXACTLY this problem with my 2022 return that had issues into 2023. I needed to verify some information and literally couldn't get through for months. The only thing that worked was using taxr.ai to figure out exactly what the issue was with my return (turned out to be an unreported 1099 causing a hold). Once I knew what the exact problem was, I was able to fix it without even needing to talk to anyone. Saved me so much time compared to the phone nightmare. https://taxr.ai

I know this sounds random, but try calling EXACTLY at 1:47pm Eastern. An IRS agent once told me that's when they reset some of their phone queues and you're more likely to get through. Worked for me twice now.

I filed in February and have been trying to reach someone since April. Nothing worked until I used Claimyr (claimyr.com). Seriously life-changing - got a callback with an actual IRS agent in about an hour. Talking to a human finally got my refund released after months of mysterious delays. Without that call I'd probably still be waiting and wondering what was going on.

its by design. they want less people calling so they make it impossible. more funding for IRS customer service? nah lets just make it impossible to reach them instead 🤷‍♂️

Try Spanish line even if you don't speak Spanish. They all speak English too and the wait times are way shorter. Press 2 for Spanish at the first prompt then just talk to them in English when a person answers.

While everyone's sharing their IRS phone hacks, I'll share what finally worked for me. Instead of calling myself, I found this service Claimyr (claimyr.com) that somehow reserves your spot in the IRS queue and then has them call YOU when an agent is available. Saved me from the endless busy signals and hold music. Agent called me back and fixed my issue in like 15 minutes. Talking to an actual human was worth every penny after wasting weeks trying to get through myself.

everyone talking about these phone strategies but honestly the IRS website and transcripts have improved a lot. have you tried looking at your account transcript online? sometimes you can figure out whats going on without even calling. for my situation last year, i could see there was an "additional review" code that explained the whole delay.

If this makes you feel any better the IRS isn't just doing this to regular taxpayers. I'm a CPA with access to the Practitioner Priority Line (supposed to be a special line for tax pros) and even THAT has been giving us the "call volume too high" message for the past month. The entire system is collapsing.

After banging my head against the wall for weeks I decided to try taxr.ai that someone else mentioned here and it was a total game changer. It analyzed my transcript and actually showed me that I had a simple issue I could fix myself without even calling the IRS. The system explained all those weird IRS codes in plain English and told me exactly what was happening. Saved me from the phone hell completely! https://taxr.ai

Lol welcome to the club. I called 43 times over 2 weeks before finally giving up and going to my local IRS office in person. Had to make an appointment online and wait 3 weeks for a slot but at least I finally talked to a human.

I feel your pain! I went through this exact nightmare last year. What finally worked for me was a combination of calling RIGHT at 7am Eastern (not 7:01, literally at 7:00) and using the callback feature when it's available. Also, try calling on Tuesday or Wednesday - Mondays are absolutely brutal because of weekend backlog. One thing that helped me was keeping a log of every attempt so I could track patterns. I noticed certain times of day had slightly better success rates, even if still low. Have you tried reaching out to your local Taxpayer Assistance Center? You can schedule an in-person appointment online, though the wait times are long. Sometimes face-to-face is the only way to break through the phone system gridlock. Hang in there - the system is definitely broken but you'll eventually get through!

I'm dealing with the exact same frustration! Been trying for weeks with no luck. Reading through all these suggestions and I'm going to try the 7am sharp strategy tomorrow. Also considering some of these services people mentioned since I'm at my wit's end. One thing I haven't seen mentioned - has anyone tried using the "Where's My Refund" tool on the IRS website? Sometimes it gives you more specific information about what's holding things up than the generic phone message. Might not solve the problem but at least you know if it's identity verification, missing documents, or something else. The fact that even CPAs with priority lines can't get through shows how broken this system really is. We shouldn't have to become phone ninjas just to talk to our own tax agency!

I've been following this thread and wow, so many people dealing with the same nightmare! I just wanted to add that I finally got through last week after trying for over a month. What worked for me was calling the main line (1-800-829-1040) at exactly 7:00 AM Eastern on a Wednesday, and I had to redial about 8 times before I didn't get the "call volume too high" message. Once I got through the initial screening, I was on hold for about 90 minutes but finally talked to a human. The agent was actually really helpful and explained that they're incredibly understaffed this year due to budget cuts, which is why the phone system is basically collapsing. She said the best days to call are Tuesday-Thursday, and avoid Mondays at all costs. One tip she gave me: if you do get through to the automated system but then get disconnected during the hold, call back immediately (within 10 minutes) and tell the first agent you speak with that you were disconnected. They can sometimes put you back in queue without starting over. Hang in there everyone - the system is definitely broken but persistence does eventually pay off!

I've been lurking on this thread because I'm going through the exact same nightmare! Reading everyone's experiences makes me feel less crazy - I thought I was doing something wrong since I literally cannot get past that "call volume too high" message no matter when I call. I'm definitely going to try the 7am sharp strategy that multiple people mentioned, and I'm intrigued by some of these services people have recommended like taxr.ai to at least understand what's going on with my return while I keep battling the phone system. The fact that even tax professionals with priority lines can't get through really shows how broken this whole system is. We shouldn't need to become phone ninjas or pay third-party services just to talk to the IRS about our own tax returns! Thanks everyone for sharing your tips and experiences. At least now I have a game plan instead of just randomly calling and getting frustrated. Will report back if any of these strategies work for me!

I've been dealing with this EXACT same issue for my 2023 return! It's so frustrating that I'm honestly considering taking time off work just to camp out on the phone lines. Reading through all these suggestions gives me hope though - I had no idea about calling at exactly 7am or trying different days of the week. The congressional representative tip is something I never would have thought of, but it makes total sense that they'd have special channels. I'm also curious about these AI transcript analysis tools people are mentioning - if I can at least figure out what's wrong without needing to call, that would save so much headache. It's absolutely insane that our tax system has gotten to this point. We pay taxes to fund the IRS and then can't even reach them when we need help with those same taxes! Going to try the early morning strategy tomorrow and see if I have better luck. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - at least we're all suffering through this together! 😅

I've been reading through all these suggestions and wow, I had no idea there were so many strategies to try! I'm in a similar situation with my 2023 return - been trying for about 2 weeks now with zero success getting past that dreaded "call volume too high" message. The 7am sharp strategy seems to be the most consistently recommended approach, so I'm definitely setting my alarm for 6:55am tomorrow to be ready. The tip about trying Wednesday specifically is interesting - I've been randomly calling different days but never thought about which days might actually be better. I'm also really intrigued by the congressional representative option. I never knew that was a thing they could help with! If the phone strategies don't work out, I'll definitely be looking into contacting my rep's office. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences and tips. It's both comforting and depressing to know so many of us are dealing with this same nightmare, but at least we can help each other out! Will report back if I manage to break through the phone system fortress tomorrow morning 🤞

This phone system nightmare is real! I've been trying to reach them about my 2023 return for over a month now. Same story - "call volume too high" every single time, no matter when I call. Reading through all these tips gives me hope though. I'm definitely going to try that 7am sharp strategy on Wednesday that so many people are swearing by. The fact that even CPAs with priority lines can't get through shows this isn't just a regular taxpayer problem - the whole system is completely broken. I'm also going to look into that congressional representative option. Never knew that was even a thing! It's absolutely ridiculous that we need to jump through all these hoops just to talk to them about our own tax returns, but desperate times call for creative solutions I guess. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and strategies. At least we know we're not alone in this madness! 🤷‍♀️

I feel your pain so much! I went through this exact same nightmare last year trying to resolve an issue with my 2022 return. After reading everyone's suggestions here, I wanted to add one more strategy that finally worked for me: try calling the IRS Business line (1-800-829-4933) even if you're not a business owner. Sometimes they can help with individual tax issues or transfer you to the right department, and the wait times are often shorter than the main individual line. The agents there have been surprisingly helpful when I've explained I couldn't get through on the regular line. Worth a shot when you're desperate! Also, that 7am Wednesday strategy everyone's mentioning is legit - that's exactly how I finally broke through last year. Good luck and don't give up!

Ugh, I feel this so hard! I've been trying to reach them about my 2023 return for weeks now with the same "call volume too high" nightmare. Reading through everyone's strategies here is actually giving me hope though - I had no idea about calling at exactly 7am or trying the Wednesday timing that so many people swear by. The business line tip is interesting too! Never thought to try that route. At this point I'm willing to try anything - even that oddly specific 1:47pm suggestion someone mentioned 😂 It's honestly both comforting and infuriating to see so many of us dealing with the exact same broken system. We shouldn't need to become phone system hackers just to talk to the IRS about our own returns! But I guess that's where we are now. Going to set my alarm for 6:55am tomorrow to try the 7am Wednesday strategy. Fingers crossed! Thanks everyone for sharing your tips and war stories - at least we're all in this together! 🤞

I've been following this thread and trying the 7am Wednesday strategy everyone's been recommending - SUCCESS! After 4 weeks of getting that "call volume too high" message, I finally got through this morning at exactly 7:00am Eastern. Had to redial 6 times but then I was in the queue. Waited about 2 hours on hold but actually spoke to a human IRS agent who resolved my 2023 return issue in 20 minutes. For anyone still struggling: the timing really does matter. I called at 7:00:00 on the dot (literally watched the clock) on a Wednesday like everyone suggested. The agent confirmed they get the most calls on Mondays and Fridays, so Tuesday-Thursday are definitely better odds. She also mentioned their phone system gets reset around 7am which is why that timing works. Don't give up! The persistence really does pay off eventually. Thanks to everyone in this thread for the tips - this community support kept me sane during the endless calling nightmare! 🙌

This is exactly the nightmare I've been living! Three weeks of the same "call volume too high" message no matter when I call. After reading through all these strategies, I'm feeling more hopeful though. Definitely going to try that 7am sharp Wednesday approach that multiple people swear by - Oliver's success story proves it actually works! I'm also intrigued by the congressional representative option since I never knew that was even a thing. It's absolutely insane that we need to strategize like military operations just to talk to our own tax agency, but here we are. Setting multiple alarms for 6:55am tomorrow to be ready for the 7:00 attack. After weeks of random calling with zero success, having an actual game plan feels amazing. Thanks everyone for sharing your war stories and tips - this thread is like a support group for IRS phone system survivors! 🤞

I've been lurking on this thread because I'm dealing with the EXACT same nightmare! Going on week 4 of trying to reach someone about my 2023 return and getting that soul-crushing "call volume too high" message every single time. Reading Oliver's success story with the 7am Wednesday strategy gives me actual hope that persistence really does pay off! I'm definitely going to try the precise 7:00am timing tomorrow - setting multiple alarms for 6:55am to be ready. The fact that even the agent confirmed their system resets around 7am explains why that timing works so well. Also planning to try some of the other strategies mentioned here like the business line and congressional rep options if the phone battle continues. It's absolutely ridiculous that we need a whole battle plan just to talk to our own tax agency, but I'm grateful for this community sharing all these tips and war stories. At least we're all fighting this broken system together! Will definitely report back if I break through tomorrow morning 🤞