People Complain About Waiting 3 Hours On IRS Hotline — How To Get Answers For Free

Taxpayers turning to the Internal Revenue Service for answers to their quick questions could be waiting hours, if not days, for help.

People looking for help from the IRS as they prepare to file their 2018 taxes have complained on Twitter TWTR, +3.96%  about wait times of 3 hours or more for the IRS 1-800 free help hotline. Some said a recorded message told them to brace for wait times of 30 to 60 minutes. This MarketWatch reporter was patched through in approximately 40 minutes on Wednesday.

The IRS did not respond to a request for comment about the average wait times on the hotline. The help line for individuals (which is 1-800-829-1040) suggests callers turn to the IRS website for tax questions instead.

The long waits are most likely an after-effect of the 35-day government shutdown. The partial shutdown crippled the IRS, cutting its staff in half during that time and forcing employees to abandon fundamental tasks like answering hotline calls and auditing returns.

Joe Hunt, a tax attorney in Boston, tweeted that he waited for 3 hours and 40 minutes, only to have his call disconnected after an automated message told him the agency was experiencing extremely high call volume and to call back later.

The IRS received more than 5 million pieces of mail during the longest-recorded shutdown in U.S. history, and the National Taxpayer Advocate, a government watchdog, told Congress it will take between 12 and 18 months for the agency to recover.

With the end of the shutdown — the result of a standoff between the president and Congress over funding a wall on the southern border — the IRS will also be resuming its other functions, including audits and investigations.

The shutdown came at an especially bad time for taxpayers. Tax season started on Monday when the IRS began accepting returns for 2018 taxes — and it’s the first one that incorporates the Trump administration’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the largest tax reform in more than 30 years.

See: It’s tax season — 10 tax-law changes that will most affect your 2018 personal return

The new law means taxpayers could have more questions than usual.

The government reopening may only be temporary, which means taxpayers should file their returns as soon as possible, said Robert Fishbein, vice president and corporate counsel at Prudential. (If the border wall is not funded by Feb. 15, President Trump said he is prepared to close the government again.)

“By getting your tax return in earlier you can mitigate, but not eliminate, the delays in processing that will probably result from the prior shutdown — or any subsequent shutdown,” Fishbein said.

There are other resources — many of which are free — for those who need answers:

The IRS website

The Internal Revenue Service’s website includes frequently asked questions, explanations of rules and regulations, necessary tax forms and, for those with an account, personal information and tax history. Individuals can also go to the U.S. Tax Center website, another part of the IRS website, for information on tax relief, e-filing, refunds and a free credit-score check.

For unresolved issues, individuals can reach out to the Taxpayer Advocate Service, an independent organization within the IRS that offers free assistance to consumers under the taxpayer bill of rights. This includes the right to appeal an IRS decision and the right to retain representation.

DIY tax calculators

Taxpayers who just want to know what to expect for their returns this year — including how much they might owe or in what ways the new tax law may affect them — can use online tax calculators.

The IRS has a withholding calculator, where users input figures from their 2018 tax forms. This calculator is particularly helpful for taxpayers who saw a bump in their paycheck after the TCJA was enacted, but did not change their withholdings through their employer. Doing so has left millions with a potentially unpleasant surprise in their tax returns this year.

Tax preparation software companies, including TurboTax INTU, +0.69%  and H&R Block, HRB, -9.33%  also have free tax calculators for consumers, who can select their filing status and number of dependents, and input their income and deductions. TurboTax also has a website dedicated to tax reform changes this year.

Also see: Beware, the IRS is looking for these red flags when it decides who to audit this tax season

Among the books

Libraries invite tax professionals to work with low- and middle-income residents during tax season. In some cases, taxpayers may need to make appointments, but many can just drop in. Libraries suggest that before participating, taxpayers gather all necessary tax forms and documents (including W-2s, 1099s, proof of health coverage or tuition statements) and proof of their Social Security Number. If possible, they should bring last year’s tax return as well.

Volunteer, community and government help

The groups that go to libraries are also available to taxpayers online or at other institutions. AARP’s free tax assistance program, called Tax-Aide, has a FAQ section on its website with more than 60 tax-related questions as well as information on its services. It has no upper- or lower-income or age limits, and is open to all taxpayers, not just AARP members.

United Way, an Alexandria, Va.-based nonprofit with chapters across the country, offers free tax preparation and filing for taxpayers who earn less than $66,000 a year. There are other community-based groups, like Bronx, N.Y.-based volunteer financial services group Ariva, that have free tax preparation sites and offer financial counseling.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), a government program, is available for those who earn $54,000 or less, have a disability, the elderly or people who speak limited English. VITA workers can be found at community centers, schools, shopping malls and libraries. Tax Counseling for the Elderly offers free assistance to individuals 60 years of age and older.

Get a daily roundup of the top reads in personal finance delivered to your inbox. Subscribe to MarketWatch's free Personal Finance Daily newsletter. Sign up here.