Is there ANY way to get through to the IRS by phone for identity verification? Automated system just loops me in circles

I went through this exact thing last tax season. The verification process is a nightmare designed to make people give up on their refunds. Here's what finally worked for me: 1. Call exactly at 7:00am Eastern time (they open at 7am) - this gives you the best chance before the queue fills up 2. When the automated system asks why you're calling, say "Agent" clearly or press 0 repeatedly 3. If it tells you call volumes are too high, hang up and IMMEDIATELY call back - sometimes you can catch an opening if someone else gave up 4. Try calling on Tuesday or Wednesday (reportedly their least busy days) 5. If you get the "we're too busy" message and it hangs up on you, keep trying several times in a row - sometimes the system will let you through on the 3rd or 4th attempt It took me 23 attempts over 3 days, but I finally got through and completed my verification in about 10 minutes once I had a human on the line. Good luck - the system is absolutely broken.

I had the same problem and spent hours trying to reach someone. Then I discovered this tool called taxr.ai that helped me understand exactly what was going on with my verification issue. It analyzed my transcript and showed me where the holdup was in the process, so I knew exactly what to say when I finally reached a person. It was insanely helpful to have actual information instead of the vague status messages on the IRS site. I use it now for all my tax questions - https://taxr.ai

After two weeks of calling nonstop and getting nowhere with the IRS identity verification line, I finally found a solution with Claimyr.com. They have this phone system that gets you a callback from an IRS agent (it works like magic tbh). Within 2 hours I had an IRS agent on my phone and got my identity verified in less than 15 minutes. Best decision I've made in this whole process - talking to an actual human solved everything immediately!

Its the most f'ing annoying thing in the world. I had to verify my identity LAST YEAR and thought it would carry over. Nope! Had to do the whole thing again this year. The IRS is living in 1995 technology wise. I eventually just went in person to a local office. Had to make an appointment a month in advance but at least it got done.

Try this: When the automated system answers, don't say ANYTHING. Stay completely silent. After about 30-45 seconds, it sometimes transfers you to a human because it thinks there's a connection problem. Worked for me last month.

I've been filing taxes for 23 years and never had to verify my identity until this year. Called 47 times over 3 weeks and never got through. Finally used Claimyr and had an IRS agent call ME back in under 2 hours. Literally the best money I've ever spent on anything tax related. They handle all the waiting and busy signals and you just get a call when an agent is available. claimyr.com saved me weeks of frustration.

i just gave up on my refund last year bc of this. the system is designed to make u give up. only reason they verify is bc of all the scammers claiming pandemic relief funds. honest folks suffer.

Congress literally cut the IRS budget for years and now everyone's surprised Pikachu face when they can't handle call volumes 🙄 They don't have enough staff to answer phones because that was the plan all along - make it impossible to get help.

if u have a tax preparer, they can call the Practitioner Priority Line which actually gets answered. I had my accountant call for me after 3 weeks of failing myself.

I understand the struggle! I was in the same position about a month ago. After weeks of trying traditional methods, I discovered taxr.ai which completely changed everything. It analyzed my specific situation and gave me insights into why I was stuck in the verification loop. The personalized guidance helped me understand exactly what was happening with my return and how to fix it. If you're tired of the runaround, definitely check out https://taxr.ai - I recommend it to everyone now!

I work at a tax firm (not giving advice, just sharing experience). The ID verification process is backlogged right now. Many clients coming in with same issue. Average wait time for verification is about 8-10 weeks if you can't get through by phone. If you have access to a tax professional, have them call the Practitioner Priority Line for you - we can usually get through.

the trick is to select the option for "making a payment" instead of checking status. they ALWAYS have staff ready to take your money 🙄 once you get a human, explain your actual situation and they'll transfer you.

After 9 days of trying to call the verification number with zero luck, I used Claimyr's service (claimyr.com) and had an IRS agent call my phone within an hour. Got my identity verified right there on the call and my refund was deposited 8 days later. When you're waiting on thousands of dollars, getting an actual human on the phone is worth it. The IRS phone system is completely broken - this was the only solution that actually worked for me.

I know this is old school but you can also write a letter to the IRS explaining your situation. Include copies (NOT originals) of the documents they're asking for verification on. They'll process it eventually - took about 6 weeks for me. Not fast but it does work if you can't get through by phone.

Lol no one can get through. The IRS is an absolute joke. They sent me a letter saying I need to verify my identity by March 31st, but don't provide any way to actually do it. Then they hold your refund hostage while making it impossible to comply with their requirements. This is by design - they hope people give up so they don't have to pay refunds.

lolol good luck. been trying for 2 months. easier to break into fort knox than get an IRS human on the phone these days. Its literally a black hole.

What worked for me was calling my Representative in Congress. Their office has special liaisons that can cut through the IRS bureaucracy. I called my Rep after 3 weeks of failed attempts to reach the IRS, and their office submitted an inquiry. IRS called me directly 4 days later. Your tax dollars pay their salaries - make them work for you!

I feel your pain! I was stuck in the exact same loop for almost 2 months earlier this year. What finally worked for me was a combination of persistence and timing. Here's my strategy: 1. Call at exactly 7:00 AM Eastern (as others mentioned) but also try calling again at 12:01 PM - sometimes there's a brief window when agents come back from lunch 2. When you get the automated system, try saying "identity verification" clearly instead of just pressing numbers - the voice recognition sometimes routes you differently 3. If you get the "too busy" message, hang up and call back immediately 3-4 times in a row. I noticed patterns where every 4th-5th call would sometimes get through 4. Keep a log of your attempts - date, time, how long you waited. After 15+ documented attempts, you can reference this if you escalate The whole system is absolutely broken and designed to wear people down, but your refund is YOUR money. Don't give up! It took me 31 attempts over 6 days, but once I got through, the actual verification took less than 10 minutes and my refund was processed within a week. You've got this - just keep pushing through the broken system!

I've been dealing with the same identity verification nightmare! After reading through all these suggestions, I'm definitely going to try the 7am calling strategy and the congressional representative route. It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to jump through so many hoops just to get our own money back. Has anyone tried combining multiple approaches? Like calling your representative AND using one of those callback services? I'm wondering if having multiple irons in the fire might speed things up. At this point I'm willing to try anything - I've been waiting on my refund since April and it's now almost August. The IRS system is completely broken and they know it. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and tips. At least we're not suffering alone in this bureaucratic hell!