How To Contact the IRS

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From refunds to tax transcripts, there are many reasons why you may want to contact the IRS. In this post, we talk about how to contact the IRS and give you some tools to make things easier when dealing with some common tax needs.

How To Contact the IRS

How to contact the IRS by phone. If you are a taxpayer with questions about federal taxes, you can get answers at 1-800-829-1040. The help line is open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm local time. 

To request a transcript by phone, call 800-908-9946.

For assistance in a language other than English or Spanish, call 833-553-9895.

Make sure to have the following ready when you call the IRS:

  • Social Security Number (SSN) and birth date
  • Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) if you don’t have a Social Security Number
  • Filing status (single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, ec.)
  • Prior-year tax return
  • Tax return you’re calling about
  • Any letter you may have received

When to contact the IRS by email. The IRS encourages taxpayers to contact the agency through its electronic tools (see below). Calling by phone is recommended only in certain cases. But in the specific case of phishing emails, the IRS asks taxpayers to report suspicious emails at phishing@irs.gov (make sure to forward the email with full email headers included).

How To Get Information About Your Tax Refund

If you need information about the status of your tax return, you don’t have to call the IRS. 

Instead of waiting on the phone, use the online tool Where’s My Refund, which has information for the 2021, 2020, and 2019 tax years.

To open the tool, just click the link provided above and make sure to have the following ready:

  • Your Social Security number or ITIN
  • Your filing status
  •  Your exact refund amount

You should call the IRS (again, the number is 1-800-829-1040) only if:

  • It’s been 21 days or more since you e-filed
  • It’s been more than 6 weeks since you mailed your paper return
  • Where’s My Refund says the IRS can provide more information to you over the phone

How To Get a Tax Transcript

We covered this topic in a previous post, but here’s a summary of what you need to know:

  • You can request an IRS transcript online, but first you’ll need to create an online account here.
  • Once you have created an account, you can request your transcript here 
  • Alternatively, you can request to get your transcript by mail. All you have to do is to fill out this form.
  • As a third alternative, you can order your transcript by phone at 800-908-9946

How To Get an EIN

People looking to apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) can do it easily without calling the IRS by using this online assistant.

The system operates Monday through Friday, 7:00 am to 10:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. 

How to Contact the IRS in Languages Other Than English

The IRS makes it a point to offer information in different languages other than English to help as many taxpayers as possible. 

People who need assistance in other languages can get the support of a professional interpreter over the phone.

  • For assistance in Spanish, call 800-829-1040
  • For all other languages (including Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, Farsi, and others), call 833-553-9895

Need Help With Your Taxes? Contact JT Tax Services

If you need help with your taxes, you’ve come to the right place.  At JT Taxes, we have made it our mission to take the stress of tax filing off your hands so you can focus on what matters most to you.

We maximize your refund and help you stay compliant with all applicable rules and laws. We are located in Oxnard, California. Contact us today by email (info@jttaxservices.com), telephone (805-984-8890), or through our social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to schedule a consultation or to learn more about our wide array of tax services.

We will be closed Saturday, Sunday and Monday (July 2nd - 4th)
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