To reach a live person at the IRS in 2025, call 1-800-829-1040 Monday–Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time, generally selecting options 2, then 1, and 3 for specific tax account inquiries. Early morning calls (7 a.m. to 9 a.m.) usually have shorter wait times. Alternatively, schedule an in-person appointment at a local Taxpayer Assistance Center.
IRS phone number - Call wait times
For individual tax returns, call 1-800-829-1040, 7 AM - 7 PM Monday through Friday local time. The wait time to speak with a representative may be long. This option works best for less complex questions. For questions about a business tax return, call 1-800-829-4933, 7 AM - 7 PM Monday through Friday local time.
The IRS has had limited resources for many years due to Congressional budget cuts, so the number of agents available to answer phone calls is not adequate to respond quickly to the volume of calls, especially during the tax filing season.
A new deduction for qualifying overtime pay is now available, effective in the 2025 tax year. You can deduct up to $12,500 if you're a single filer or up to $25,000 if you're married filing jointly. The deduction begins to phase out once your MAGI hits $150,000 for single filers or $300,000 for joint filers.
Ask your employer to correct the error. If your employer doesn't correct it by the end of February, you should either: Call us at 800-829-1040. Make an appointment at an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center.
The IRS 7-year rule primarily applies to keeping records for claiming a deduction for bad debts or losses from worthless securities, allowing a longer period to file for a credit or refund, but it's not a universal audit limit; it's often a recommended safe buffer for general record-keeping, with the standard IRS audit period usually being 3 years, extending to 6 years for substantial income omission (over 25%) or foreign income issues, and indefinitely for fraud.
If the IRS was supposed to respond to you or resolve your account by a specific date and they have not, you may qualify for TAS assistance. If an IRS system or procedure has failed to operate as intended, or failed to resolve your problem or dispute with the IRS, TAS may be able to help you.
Proven Tactics to Avoid Long Wait Times
Timing makes a huge difference when you contact the IRS by phone. The shortest queues tend to occur early weekday mornings—between 7:00 and 9:00 a.m.—and midweek (Tuesday through Thursday). Avoid Mondays, Fridays, and dates near filing deadlines when hold times spike.
Most IRS phone lines, including 800-829-1040, are open 7 to 7 local time, based on your phone's area code. Try first thing in the morning.
How to reach an actual person at the IRS: Use the 1-2-3 hack. The IRS telephone number is 1-800-829-1040, and is available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday. To speak with someone at the IRS, you have to call, navigate through a menu, and eventually get routed to find an agent if one is available.
On January 28, 2025, Scott Bessent was sworn in as the 79th Secretary of the Treasury of the United States. In August 2025, he was named Acting Commissioner of the IRS.
Here's a summary of key changes for the 2025 tax year.
Yes, the IRS generally has a 10-year statute of limitations (Collection Statute Expiration Date or CSED) from the tax assessment date to collect unpaid taxes, meaning the debt usually goes away then; however, this clock can be paused or extended by certain events like filing for bankruptcy, entering installment agreements, or living abroad, and there's no time limit for fraud, says the IRS and tax professionals https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/taxpayer-bill-of-rights-6,.
To speak to a live person at the IRS, call the main line (800-829-1040), choose your language, then follow the prompts by selecting options for "Personal Income Tax," and when asked for your SSN/EIN, do not enter it, instead saying "representative" or repeating options until transferred to an agent, preferably calling early mornings on weekdays. Be patient and have specific questions ready, as the automated system tries to handle calls first.
The IRS is understaffed and unprepared to take on the daily volume of phone calls they receive. Unfortunately, this has caused callers to struggle with navigating the menu maze and being put on hold for hours only to have the line drop.
Answer: Contact an IRS customer service representative to correct any agency errors by calling 800-829-1040 (see telephone assistance for hours of operation).
Call the IRS toll free at 800-829-1040 or make an appointment to visit an IRS taxpayer assistance center (TAC).
Visit www.irs.gov/paymentplan for more information on installment agreements and online payment agreements. You can also call us at 1- 800-829-0922 to discuss your options. For information on how to obtain your current account balance or payment history, go to www.irs.gov/balancedue.