Telephone tips when calling the IRS

Hints and tips when calling the IRS:

Prepare for your call

Verify your identity when you call

Our representatives must verify your identity before discussing your personal information.

Have the following ready when you call:

Individuals

Social Security numbers (SSN) and birth dates
Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) for taxpayers without a Social Security number
Filing status – single, head of household, married filing joint, or married filing separate
Prior-year tax return
Tax return you’re calling about
Any correspondence we sent to you

Third parties calling for someone else

Verbal or written authorization to discuss the account
Taxpayer’s name, SSN or ITIN
Tax return you're calling about
Valid Form 8821, Tax Information Authorization or Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative
Preparer tax identification number or personal identification number

Third parties calling for a deceased taxpayer

Death certificate
Court approval letter or our IRS Form 56, Notice Concerning Fiduciary Relationship (for estate executors)

IRS phone number - Call Wait Times

Filing Season
(January - April)

Telephone service wait times can average 15 minutes. Some telephone service lines may have longer wait times.
Telephone service wait times are higher on Monday and Tuesday, during Presidents Day weekend and around the April tax filing deadline.

Post-Filing Season
(May - December)

Telephone service wait times can average 27 minutes. Some telephone service lines may have longer wait times.
Telephone service wait times are generally higher on Monday and Tuesday.

Our help lines are open Monday through Friday. Residents of Alaska and Hawaii should follow Pacific time. Phone lines in Puerto Rico are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time.

Individuals
800-829-1040
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time

Businesses
800-829-4933
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time

Non-profit taxes
877-829-5500
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time

Estate and gift taxes (Form 706/709)
866-699-4083
8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern time

Excise taxes
866-699-4096
​​​​​8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time

Overseas callers
Use our International Services page. 

Callers who are hearing impaired
TTY/TDD 800-829-4059

Interpretation Services
If you can't find the answers to your tax questions on IRS.gov, we can offer you help in more than 350 languages with the support of professional interpreters. For assistance in Spanish, call 800-829-1040. For all other languages, call 833-553-9895. You will reach an IRS assistor who can:
 

Provide an interpreter over the phone, or
Schedule an appointment for you at one of our local Taxpayer Assistance Centers so you can get help face-to-face. Please note, our local offices provide assistance only on specific topics.

Requesting a face-to-face meeting for help
You can make an appointment at an IRS local office to get help. Appointment times vary by tax issues and office locations. 

To help protect taxpayers and employees, the COVID-19 Screening Tool is available for people to self-screen for symptoms relative to the novel Coronavirus. This tool is for optional use by IRS employees, taxpayers, tax professionals and others prior to entering an IRS facility. The IRS is committed to protecting against further spread of COVID-19, and we encourage people to use this self-screening tool prior to visiting IRS facilities.

You can find the office closest to you with our Taxpayer Assistance Locator tool. Once you find your local office, see what services are available. Then, call 844-545-5640 to schedule an appointment.

IRS offices are closed on federal holidays.

Free Tax Return Help Available
Certain taxpayers may qualify to get free tax return preparation and electronic filing help at a location near where they live. For more information, see Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly.

Taxpayer Advocate Service
If you’re having tax problems because of financial difficulties or immediate threat of adverse action and you haven’t been able to resolve them with the IRS, the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) may be able to help you.

Retrieved February 11, 2021 from: https://www.irs.gov/help/telephone-assistance