Contact an IRS customer service representative to correct any agency errors by calling 800-829-1040. Customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time, unless otherwise noted (see telephone assistance for more information).
We're open and processing mail, tax returns, payments, refunds and correspondence. However, COVID-19 continues to cause delays in some of our services.
IRS representatives answered fewer than 1 in 10 phone calls during the 2021 tax-filing season, according to National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins, who heads an independent arm of the agency designed to help taxpayers resolve problems. Even in off-peak periods the agency is answering only about 4 in 10.
Telephone service wait times can average 19 minutes. Some telephone service lines may have longer wait times.
Tax practitioners with account or tax law questions may call 1-800-829-8374 .
Chat with the Website Help Desk for help navigating the IRS site. Online agents can answer questions regarding where to find forms or other information on the site, but not questions regarding your tax return or refund. Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
Email Your Questions or Comments About IRS.gov
Allow up to 48 hours for our response. Avoid sending more than one email on the same topic. Don't include your name, Social Security number, Taxpayer Identification Number, birthdate or address.
The IRS Will Be Shutting Down Electronic Filing on Nov 20 Until January 2022. This is a standard operating procedure for the IRS as they perform annual maintenance in order to prepare the system for the upcoming Tax Year 2021 Filing Season.
The IRS is available from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday thru Friday. The best time to call is early in the morning.
"IRS employees are working hard to deliver a successful 2022 tax season while facing enormous challenges related to the pandemic," Rettig said. ... And they should file electronically with direct deposit if at all possible; filing a paper tax return this year means an extended refund delay."
The IRS can go back through three years' worth of returns or review up to six years if they find a serious error.
If a taxpayer files a return on April 15 in Year 1, the IRS generally may issue a refund until April 15 in Year 4. In 2020, the IRS postponed the filing deadline for tax year 2019 tax returns from April 15 to July 15 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
When you e-file, it typically takes 24 to 48 hours for the IRS to accept your return. Once your return is accepted, you are on the IRS' refund timetable. The IRS typically issues refunds in less than 21 days.
Tens of millions of taxpayers experienced prolonged delays in the processing of their returns last year, as the IRS continued to work through challenges exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, like staffing shortages and tax law changes.
Just like in 2021, the IRS is again expecting numerous delays in processing tax returns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency recommends filing electronically and setting up direct deposit this year, as it can help get your refund issued within 21 days, assuming there are no errors.
Our customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
We cannot provide any information about your refund. You must wait at least 24 hours after you get the acknowledgment e-mail that your tax return was received by the IRS. Your e-filed return was accepted (received) by the IRS less than 24 hours ago.
If your tax return status is "Still Being Processed" your tax return could be essentially on hold until the IRS corrects any issues and/or gets the additional information from you to continue processing your return.
Tax Refund Delays
In 2021, taxpayers who submitted their tax returns early had to wait a little longer than anticipated to receive their tax refund. In fact, the IRS is still processing last year's returns, according to the Treasury Department.
This year, however, the mostly likely reason your tax refund is delayed is that you filed a paper return. There was an additional backlog of tax returns created by the COVID-19 pandemic. While IRS workers have been back at work for a while, there is always a chance this is still impacting your return.
If you haven't received your tax refund after at least 21 days of filing online or six weeks of mailing your paper return, go to a local IRS office or call the federal agency (check out our list of IRS phone numbers that could get you help faster). But that won't fast-track your refund, according to the IRS.
Some tax returns take longer to process than others for many reasons, including when a return: Includes errors, such as incorrect Recovery Rebate Credit. ... Includes a claim filed for an Earned Income Tax Credit or an Additional Child Tax Credit.