IRS website balance due not showing despite active ID.me account - help!

Thanks for explaining! I did get an approval letter but I couldn't find the balance amount on it. Is there a specific section I should be looking for? Just trying to make sure I'm not missing something obvious.

The balance should be listed near the top of the letter under something like "Account Information" or "Agreement Terms." Sometimes it's on the second page if they included a payment voucher. If you still can't find it, the letter should have a specific phone number for payment plan questions that might have slightly shorter wait times than the general line. Another thing worth checking is your most recent tax transcript, which you can request online through the same ID.me portal. Sometimes the transcript will show your balance even when the account page doesn't.

Does this actually work for payment plans specifically? I tried using the regular IRS transcript service but it doesn't show my current balance after I set up my payment plan either.

I'm skeptical about giving my tax info to some random website. How do you know it's secure? Seems risky with all the tax scams out there.

It absolutely works for payment plans - that was exactly my situation. The site can analyze the payment plan terms and calculate your current balance including any interest accrual. It fills in the gaps when the IRS portal is being glitchy. They use bank-level encryption for all document uploads and don't store your sensitive data after analysis. I was hesitant too because of potential scams, but they're actually partnered with tax professionals and have solid security credentials. They just extract the relevant information from your documents to give you a clear picture of where you stand.

How does this actually work? I've tried calling the IRS multiple times and always get disconnected after waiting forever.

This sounds like complete BS. Nobody can magically get you through to the IRS faster. They probably just keep you on hold themselves and charge you for the privilege.

It uses a callback system that navigates the IRS phone tree and holds your place in line. When they're about to connect with an agent, you get a call. It's not magic - it's just automating the frustrating part of waiting on hold. The IRS phone system actually does allow for callbacks in certain situations, but their system is extremely overloaded. Claimyr essentially optimizes the calling process and timing to maximize your chances of getting through. I was skeptical too until I tried it - got connected to an actual IRS agent who answered all my questions about my payment plan.

Would any CP notice work? I found a CP49 from a couple months ago about a previous adjustment. Would that have the current balance that I need to be paying on the payment plan?

A CP49 is actually a refund offset notice, so it's different from what you need. It shows when they applied a refund to an existing tax debt, but it wouldn't reflect your current payment plan details. The CP523 is specifically for payment plan information and would be the most recent. If you have the original approval letter for your payment plan (likely a letter ID starting with LT), that's actually what you need. The IRS typically sends this within 2 weeks of plan approval.

I wouldn't recommend this approach. I tried it and ended up underpaying because I didn't account for the additional interest that had accrued. Got a scary letter from the IRS about potentially defaulting on my payment plan. Better to confirm the exact amount first.

You're right - it is risky. I guess I got lucky. Probably smarter to get the exact figure from an agent or using one of the methods others suggested. The IRS isn't exactly forgiving with mistakes!

This is really helpful advice! I'm dealing with a similar situation where my payment plan isn't showing up properly online. Quick question - when you requested the account transcript, did it show the updated balance immediately or did you have to wait for it to reflect the payment plan setup? I'm wondering if there's still a delay even with the transcript method. Also, do you remember roughly how much additional interest accrued on your balance during the 180-day period? Trying to get a ballpark idea of what to expect beyond the original amount.

@Sunny Wang The account transcript was actually available pretty much immediately - it doesn t'seem to have the same delay issues as the main account summary page. I was able to see my updated balance including the payment plan details within a day or two of getting my approval letter. As for the interest, it depends on your specific situation, but for federal tax debt the current rate is around 8% annually. On a $2,800 balance over 180 days, you re'looking at roughly $112 in additional interest if you spread payments evenly though (it ll'be less since you re'paying down the principal over time .)The IRS calculates interest daily, so making larger payments earlier will save you money. One thing I learned is that payments are applied to interest first, then penalties, then principal - so your balance reduction might seem slower at first. Definitely worth getting that exact breakdown from the transcript!

This is really solid advice! I'm actually in a similar boat right now with a payment plan that's not showing up online. Quick question - when you called using the payment plan phone number, did they ask for any specific information beyond the usual SSN and identity verification? I want to make sure I have everything ready before I attempt the call since the wait times are so brutal. Also, you mentioned that interest accrues daily - do you know if weekends and holidays count toward that daily interest calculation? Trying to figure out the best timing for my payments to minimize the total amount.

@The Boss When I called, they needed the usual identity verification stuff SSN, (address, DOB plus) the payment plan agreement number which should be on your approval letter. Having your most recent tax return info handy helps too in case they need to verify details. And yes, interest absolutely accrues on weekends and holidays - it s'calculated on a daily basis every single day until the balance is paid. So there s'no real best "timing strategy" for payments. The sooner you pay, the less total interest you ll'owe, regardless of what day of the week it is. The IRS uses a 365-day year for interest calculations, so even leap years don t'change the daily rate. Your best bet is just to pay as much as you can as early as you can to minimize the total interest charges.

This is exactly the kind of comprehensive guidance I was looking for! I'm going to try the account transcript method first since you mentioned it worked within 24 hours. That would be such a relief compared to waiting weeks for the main portal to update. Quick question about the interest calculation - when you say it's around 8% annually, is that rate fixed for the entire payment plan period, or does the IRS adjust it periodically? I want to make sure I'm budgeting correctly for the total amount I'll end up paying. Also, really appreciate the tip about the dedicated payment plan phone number. I had been dreading calling the general customer service line after hearing horror stories about 3+ hour wait times. Hopefully the specialized line will be more manageable!

@Layla Sanders The IRS interest rate is actually adjusted quarterly based on federal short-term rates, so it can change during your payment plan period. The 8% I mentioned is the current rate as of this quarter, but you can check the most recent rates on IRS.gov under Interest "and Penalty Information. That" said, for a 180-day payment plan, even if the rate changes once during that period, the difference in your total interest cost would probably only be a few dollars on a $2,800 balance. The bigger factor is just getting started with payments quickly to reduce the principal. And yes, definitely try the dedicated payment plan number first! In my experience, those specialized lines are staffed by agents who specifically handle payment plan questions, so they re'usually more knowledgeable and efficient than the general customer service folks. Still might be a wait, but usually much more reasonable than the main line. The account transcript really should give you everything you need though - it shows the breakdown of principal, interest, and penalties as of the transcript date, which is exactly what you need to plan your payments.

This is really comprehensive advice! I'm actually dealing with a similar issue right now where my payment plan shows as approved but the online portal is completely useless. One thing I'm curious about - when you mention the Account Transcript showing the balance "even when the main account page is broken" - does it show the balance as of the payment plan setup date, or does it reflect real-time interest accrual? I'm trying to figure out if I need to calculate additional interest that's accumulated since the transcript date, or if it's current as of when I view it. Also, really appreciate the heads up about the payment application order (interest first, then penalties, then principal). I had no idea about that - definitely changes how I need to think about my payment amounts to make sure I'm actually chipping away at the main debt and not just covering interest.

@Yuki Nakamura Great question about the transcript timing! The Account Transcript shows your balance as of the date the transcript was generated, not real-time. So if there s'been a gap between when you request it and when you re'making payments, you ll'need to account for additional daily interest that s'accrued since the transcript date. The daily interest calculation is pretty straightforward: take your current balance, multiply by the annual interest rate currently (around 8% ,)then divide by 365 days. So on a $2,800 balance, you re'looking at about $0.61 per day in additional interest. The payment application order is definitely something more people should know about! It can be really frustrating when you think you re'making progress on the principal but most of your payment is going to interest and penalties first. That s'why it s'so important to know your exact breakdown before you start paying - you want to make sure your payments are large enough to meaningfully reduce the actual tax debt, not just cover the carrying costs. If you can pay more than the minimum required amount, even an extra $50-100 per payment makes a huge difference in reducing your total interest over the 180-day period.

This is such helpful advice! I'm actually in a very similar situation right now where my payment plan was approved but the online portal just shows that frustrating "information not available" message. It's been about 2 weeks since approval and I'm getting anxious about when to start payments. I had no idea about the Account Transcript option - that sounds like it could be a game changer if it updates faster than the main account page. I'm definitely going to try that first thing tomorrow. One question about the interest calculation you mentioned - when you say it's around $110-120 over 180 days, is that assuming you make equal monthly payments, or is that the total if you don't pay anything until the end? I'm hoping to pay more upfront to minimize the total interest, but want to make sure I understand how the daily accrual works with partial payments. Also really appreciate the tip about using the payment plan specific phone number instead of the general line. After hearing horror stories about 3+ hour wait times, I've been putting off calling, but if the specialized line is more manageable that changes everything.