Baffled by a tax issue on your 1040 this year? Don’t count on phoning a friend at the Internal Revenue Service for a one-on-one chat.
The tax agency says it doesn’t have enough phone reps to tackle the deluge of questions coming to its telephone help lines . So, IRS customer service representatives now will refer taxpayers with complicated tax issues to its recorded briefings or to the IRS Web site (www.IRS.gov) to hunt for an answer themselves. IRS agents still will answer some basic questions about returns (see below), which account for a majority of inquiries, the tax collector says.
In an announcement, the agency cited “limited resources to support person-to-person services on the phone or at (local IRS) Taxpayer Assistance Centers.” That sounds a lot like a budget squeeze, and money shortages trace back to Congress, where budgets are set. So, if you’re irritated about losing the call-in help, our advice is: “Don’t get mad at IRS; be furious with Congress!”
More taxpayer-friendly is a new, automated service called “Get Transcript.” It allows taxpayers with computers to view and print out prior tax returns, as well as some other tax records. Look under the “Tools” heading on the IRS Web site.
Which services are being curtailed? Here’s a quick list:
• Tax law assistance: Callers with detailed issues about tax law will be directed to the IRS Web site, tax publications or tax preparation software. During tax season, (January to mid-April), the IRS will continue to answer basic questions pertaining to 1040A and 1040EZ returns and related 1040 issues, such as filing status, dependents, exemptions and taxable income.
• Tax return preparation: This service generally has been limited to lower income taxpayers. Now, the IRS will refer those taxpayers to various volunteer groups that offer tax preparation. Anyone with computer access also will be told about the IRS Free File system for e-filing.
• Tax refund tracking: The IRS will help with the status of refunds only 21 days after a return has been e-filed or six weeks after a paper filing. Otherwise, callers will be sent to “Where’s My Refund,” an automated service.
• Employee Identification Number requests: All requests for new EINs will go to the EIN Online Assistant, another computerized service. IRS representatives will only deal with problems regarding existing EINs.
By the way, the IRS also has figured out that a “growing number” of taxpayers in recent years have been calling into its dedicated phone line for professional tax preparers and accountants. That won’t work any more. The IRS says it now is restricting use of its “Practitioner Priority Service” to tax pros.
Of course, you still can ring up one of them yourself. We’ll take on your perplexing questions at EricJohn Ltd.!