Need IRS lien payoff letter urgently - can't get through on lien dept phone number (800-913-6050). Closing on 5/4!

I dealt with this exact situation last year when selling my parents' home. The IRS lien department is notoriously difficult to reach by phone, and you're right that faxed requests typically take 3-4 weeks to process. Your best option is to continue calling the lien hotline, but with a modified approach. Call exactly when they open at 8:00 AM Eastern Time. Have all your information ready - the taxpayer's name, SSN or EIN, lien serial number from the Notice of Federal Tax Lien, and your contact information. The morning slots typically have shorter wait times. If you still can't get through, your title company might be able to work with what's called a "conditional release" arrangement. Essentially, they hold the lien amount in escrow while the transaction closes, then pay the IRS directly once the payoff letter arrives. Many title companies are familiar with this process since IRS delays are common. Another option is to reach out to the Taxpayer Advocate Service. While they can't provide the payoff letter directly, they can sometimes intervene when there's a time-sensitive issue involving a home sale.

After spending 3 weeks trying to reach the IRS for a similar issue, I finally used https://taxr.ai to help get my lien information sorted out. Their document analysis caught some details I had missed on my Notice of Federal Tax Lien that were causing confusion. I uploaded my tax documents and lien notice, and they identified a discrepancy between my EIN on the lien and my actual tax ID that was causing problems. They also provided a complete analysis of my situation with specific instructions on how to approach the IRS. When I finally did get through to the IRS agent, having this organized information made the call go much more smoothly. The agent was able to quickly verify everything and process my request without asking for additional documentation.

I was initially skeptical about using taxr.ai when someone recommended it for my lien situation, but I decided to try it since my closing was only days away. What surprised me was how thorough their analysis was. They found that the lien amount on my notice didn't match what was in the IRS system (due to a payment that hadn't been properly applied). Having this information ready when I finally reached an IRS agent made a huge difference. Instead of the agent needing to research the discrepancy (which could have meant calling back another day), they were able to verify and correct the information immediately. Got my payoff letter emailed the same day. If you're in a time crunch with a real estate transaction like I was, having everything perfectly organized with potential issues already identified can really streamline the process once you do get through to someone.

I was in your exact position last month, and after days of failed attempts calling the IRS, I discovered https://claimyr.com. You can watch how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Basically, they wait on hold with the IRS for you and call you when an agent picks up. I was honestly shocked when I got a call back within a few hours saying they had an IRS agent on the line. I spoke directly with the lien department, explained my situation with the upcoming closing, and they emailed me the payoff letter that same day. After wasting nearly a week trying to get through myself, this was a game-changer. For situations like yours with a critical deadline, it's definitely worth looking into. The closing costs on a home sale are already so high that the service fee is minimal in comparison to potentially losing your sale.

I take back what I said about Claimyr being a scam. After my skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try it since my own closing date was approaching fast. I figured I had nothing to lose at that point. To my surprise, I received a call back in about 90 minutes with an actual IRS agent on the line. I explained my situation regarding the lien payoff letter needed for my closing, and the agent processed my request immediately. I received the payoff letter via secure email the same day. After spending nearly 8 hours over three days trying to get through myself with no success, I wish I had known about this service sooner. The stress of potentially delaying a real estate closing is intense, and getting this resolved quickly was worth every penny.

Have you tried contacting your local taxpayer advocate office? They can sometimes intervene in time-sensitive situations like real estate closings. I had a similar issue last year and the taxpayer advocate helped expedite my lien release paperwork when I explained that my home sale was at risk. You can find your local office here: https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/contact-us/ Just make sure you emphasize that you have a pending real estate transaction with a specific closing date. That usually gets them to prioritize your case.

Another option is to request an extension on your closing date. I had to do this when dealing with an IRS lien - explained the situation to the buyers, and they agreed to push the closing back by two weeks. Most people understand that IRS issues are beyond your control. While not ideal, it's better than having the deal fall through completely.

I went through this nightmare scenario two years ago when selling my home. After days of failed attempts to reach the lien department, I finally got through using a combination of strategies that worked for me. First, I called the main IRS line (1-800-829-1040) at exactly 7:00 AM local time and selected the option for "payment plans" instead of going directly to the lien department. When I got a live agent, I explained my urgent situation with the closing date and asked them to transfer me directly to the lien department with a warm transfer (meaning they stay on the line to ensure the connection goes through). This bypassed the normal hold queue. Second, I prepared what I called a "lien emergency packet" - a one-page summary with my SSN, lien serial number, property address, closing date, and title company contact info. Having this ready made the call incredibly efficient once I got through. The agent was actually very helpful once they understood the time-sensitive nature of my situation. They were able to email the payoff letter within 24 hours, which saved my closing. Also, make sure your title company knows about the IRS delays - many are familiar with this issue and may be willing to work with you on alternative arrangements like the conditional release mentioned earlier. Don't panic yet - there are still options!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now and wanted to share what's been working for me. After reading through all these suggestions, I tried the warm transfer approach that Leila mentioned - calling the main IRS line first and asking to be transferred directly to the lien department. It actually worked! I got through after only about 45 minutes on hold (versus the 2+ hours I was experiencing before). The key was calling at 8 AM Eastern and being very specific about my real estate closing deadline when talking to the first agent. I also prepared a detailed summary sheet beforehand with all my information, which made the actual conversation much smoother. The lien department agent was surprisingly understanding about the time crunch and expedited my payoff letter request. For anyone else in this situation, don't give up on the direct calling approach - just modify your strategy. The warm transfer method seems to bypass some of the automated hold queues that keep disconnecting people. Also, definitely contact your title company about alternative arrangements while you're working on getting the letter. Mine was willing to discuss holding funds in escrow as a backup plan, which took some of the pressure off.

I've been following this thread closely since I'm dealing with a similar lien payoff situation for a closing next month. Based on everyone's experiences here, I wanted to share what I've learned from calling the IRS this week. The warm transfer method that several people mentioned really does seem to work better than calling the lien department directly. I tried both approaches - direct calling resulted in 3+ hour holds that ended in disconnections, but going through the main line (1-800-829-1040) and asking for a transfer got me connected in under an hour. The key seems to be calling right at 8 AM Eastern and being very clear with the first agent about having a time-sensitive real estate transaction. I said something like "I have a house closing in X days and need an urgent transfer to the lien department for a payoff letter." Most agents seem to understand the urgency of real estate deadlines. Also, for those considering the third-party services mentioned in this thread - I looked into a few of them and they do seem legitimate, but the warm transfer method costs nothing and appears to be just as effective if you time it right. One more tip: have your title company's direct contact information ready when you call. The IRS agent asked if they could send the payoff letter directly to my title company, which might speed up the process even more.