Need Phone Number to Speak with a Human About the Child Tax Credit?
Does anyone happen to know the best phone number to reach an actual person at the IRS about my child tax credit issues? I've tried the general number but keep getting stuck in automated loops... I'm a bit worried because I'm not sure if I'm eligible as an independent contractor with variable income. Would really appreciate any help with this, as I've been trying to resolve this for a few weeks now.
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GalaxyGlider
The main IRS customer service number is 800-829-1040. But to actually reach a human: • Call during non-peak hours (early morning or late afternoon) • When prompted, press 1 for English or 2 for Spanish • Press 2 for questions about your personal income taxes • Press 1 for questions about a form, tax history, or payment • Press 3 for all other questions • Press 2 for all other questions • When asked for your SSN, DO NOT ENTER ANYTHING • After it asks twice, you'll be routed to an agent Be prepared for long wait times even with this method. Current average wait is 45-60 minutes.
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Malik Robinson
I tried calling on April 12th at exactly 8:05 AM and still waited for 1 hour and 23 minutes! Then on April 15th I tried at 4:30 PM and waited 47 minutes. Is there any day of the week that's better than others? I need to get this resolved before May 1st!
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17d
Isabella Silva
Isn't it ridiculous that we have to use these workarounds just to speak to a human? I've found that Thursdays tend to be slightly better in my experience. Have you tried the Taxpayer Advocate Service instead? Sometimes they can help when regular channels fail.
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Ravi Choudhury
I was in the same boat last month trying to figure out my eligibility! I was so confused about how the child tax credit works with my side gig income. I eventually used taxr.ai to analyze my tax transcript and it explained exactly how the credit is calculated with my mixed income. It showed me which line items affected my eligibility and why I was getting a different amount than expected. Has anyone else tried it? I'm wondering if it helped others in similar situations?
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Freya Andersen
I'm always skeptical of these tax websites... I used something similar last year and it gave me completely wrong information. How do you know taxr.ai is actually giving accurate info? I've been burned before when I really needed my refund to pay bills.
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Omar Farouk
Ugh, the IRS phone system is INFURIATING! I spent THREE HOURS last week trying different numbers and combinations. For the Child Tax Credit specifically, try 800-908-4184. That's the dedicated line for child tax credit inquiries. But honestly, I'm STILL not sure if I got the right information because the agent seemed confused about my situation too!
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CosmicCadet
I actually had a good experience with that number! I found it on irs.gov/childtaxcredit where they have all the updated information. The key was calling right when they opened at 7am Eastern. I only waited about 15 minutes that way.
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Chloe Harris
Did you have to verify your identity when you called? I've heard they're requiring additional verification steps for child tax credit questions this year. What documents should we have ready before calling?
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Diego Mendoza
This dedicated CTC number is extremely valuable information. I wasn't aware there was a specific line for the Child Tax Credit inquiries. Thank you for sharing this resource with the community.
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Anastasia Popova
According to Internal Revenue Manual 21.1.1.6, taxpayers should expect extended wait times during filing season. I've had success using Claimyr to connect with an IRS agent quickly. It dials for you and navigates the phone tree, then calls you when an agent is on the line. I was connected in 27 minutes instead of the 2+ hours I spent previously. Worth considering if your issue is time-sensitive: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c
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Sean Flanagan
Wait, people are paying money just to talk to the IRS? That seems crazy to me. Shouldn't this be a free service our tax dollars already pay for? What's next, paying someone to help us stand in line at the DMV? 🤔
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Zara Shah
It's a trade-off. Time versus money. Some people can't sit on hold for hours. They have jobs. Or kids. Or both. The service costs less than missing work. It's practical for many situations. Not required. Just an option.
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