The Internal Revenue Service is urging taxpayers to resist the urge to call the agency for answers to tax questions as it anticipates an avalanche of phone calls next week and is instead asking them to go online for help.
The IRS reminded taxpayers Thursday that the Presidents Day holiday period typically marks one of the busiest weeks of the tax-filing season for its phone lines. It noted that there are other alternatives to help taxpayers find answers to commonly asked tax questions.
The IRS opened tax season on January 31 after a two-week delay prompted by the government shutdown last October (see
On Tuesday, the IRS’s new commissioner, John Koskinen, released a video on YouTube, in which he also requested taxpayers to use the agency’s Web site and other self-help tools, and warned about long wait times on the phone (see
The IRS reiterated Thursday that it has several easy-to-use, online tools on
“The entire week of the Presidents Day holiday marks a peak time in the number of calls to the IRS, and we encourage taxpayers to visit IRS.gov as the best place to get quick help,” said Koskinen said in a statement Thursday.
Due to limited resources, the IRS noted that it has changed the services provided at the toll-free telephone number and IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers. To save time and find answers faster, taxpayers should make IRS.gov their first stop, starting with
The IRS also described a set of frequently asked questions from taxpayers on Presidents Day holiday week and the fastest ways to get answers:
Want to know where your refund is?
More than 90 percent of refunds are issued in less than 21 days. IRS representatives will not provide individual refund information before then. Taxpayers can find information about the status of their refund by using the
The Where’s My Refund? tool provides taxpayers with the most up-to-date information available. Taxpayers must have information from their current, pending tax return to access their refund information. Refund information is updated just once a day, generally overnight, so the IRS pointed out that there is no need to check more than once a day.
Didn’t get a W-2?
Employers are required to send to their employees a Form W-2, Statement of Earnings, by January 31. Employees should allow enough time for their form to be mailed to their address of record. If Form W-2 is not received by mid-February, employees should first contact their employer to ensure they have the correct address on file.
After exhausting all options with the employer, employees may contact the IRS and the agency will send a letter to the employer. However, the IRS is urging taxpayers to call after Presidents Day week to avoid long wait times on the phone.
Need a copy of a tax return or transcript?
Taxpayers can order a return or transcript through the
Ordering a tax return or tax transcript does not mean a taxpayer will get their refund faster, however, the IRS pointed out, as the two are not connected in any way. IRS transcripts are often used to validate income and tax filing status for mortgage, student and small business loan applications and to help with tax preparation.
Need answers to tax law questions?
For questions about what filing status means, whether to file a tax return or who can be claimed as a dependent, do a keyword search on IRS.gov; use
Can’t pay a tax bill?
For taxpayers whose concern isn’t a refund, but rather, a tax bill they can’t pay, the
