I need to speak to the IRS’s Practitioner Priority Service regarding (as of today) ten client matters. I have been calling since May 4th–and calling the moment the phone lines open (7am local time). It’s illegal for me to record the response, but here’s an accurate transcription of what the IRS said on my 39th attempt (and my first through 38th attempts):
We’re sorry, but due to extremely high call volume in the topic you requested we’re unable to answer your call at this time. Please try your call again later or the next business day… Goodbye.
Some of the matters I’m dealing with our time-sensitive, and I really do need to speak with a human. But it appears that IRS staffing of their phone lines is very limited, and that leaves few options for practitioners.
I can keep calling, but due to hold times (if I ever get through) I need to allow at least two hours for the call. I do have appointments scheduled most days, and that limits the number of attempts I can make.
(While I was typing this I made my 40th attempt. I received the same “courtesy disconnect” message.)
Another option–and one that I will have to choose soon with at least two of these issues–is to write letters to the IRS and send them via certified mail. That preserves my client’s rights. Of course, the National Taxpayer Advocate has noted that the IRS can’t timely process much correspondence, but two of these items have a firm 60-day deadline to fix so my choice is phone (and I am certain these can be resolved on the phone), mail, or for my clients’ issues to be conceded. Sure, it may take months for this to get resolved (once I mail letters) but what choice do I have? There isn’t one.
Meanwhile, the proposed IRS budget features a $1.4 billion cut. IRS staffing is down by about one-third from early 2025. As much as I like small government (and I do), the IRS needs to be correctly funded and that means a budget increase, not a cut. Perhaps one day online services can fully replace humans, but that day isn’t today. If you’re a taxpayer–and everyone reading this is–complain to your Representatives and Senators. There are almost certainly areas of the federal budget that can be cut (given the reports of fraud); however, the IRS isn’t one of those today.
And my 41st attempt fared no better than my 40th….
