IRS Help Calls Expected to Surge After President’s Day

By Karin Price Mueller, nj.com (TNS)

Tax returns are not due until April 15, but the IRS says the two weeks after President’s Day is historically the peak time when taxpayers call the agency for help.

The IRS is encouraging taxpayers who need help to use its online tools before they call the agency for help.

Taxpayers can avoid phone delays during the “anticipated peak demand for IRS phone lines” by first checking the agency’s step-by-step help guide before calling.

The guide highlights popular topics and instructs taxpayers on how to check if they need to file, what documents are needed, which credits and deductions they may be eligible for and how to get a refund.

“We want taxpayers to have access to the help they need around the clock,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. “IRS.gov’s expanded tools and information make that easier for taxpayers, especially during this peak period for IRS phone lines around Presidents Day.”

The IRS said the average wait time during filing season—from January through April—is four minutes, though it said some times may be longer. Mondays and Tuesdays, President’s Day weekend and times around the filing deadline have higher wait times, it said.

From May through December, wait times average 11 minutes, the agency said, with Mondays and Tuesday being the busier days for calls.

The help line is (800) 829-1040.

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