How to Make an Appointment with IRS & What to do Before Making One

– How to Make an Appointment with IRS –

Ever asked How to Make an Appointment with IRS? Taxpayers who need in-person help from an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) need to call to schedule an appointment. All TACs provide service by appointment.

They are an essential service the IRS provides when a tax issue cannot be resolved online or by phone. If you need information on what to do, please read on.

What to Do Before an In-person Help

Before visiting an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center for in-person help with their tax issues, a taxpayer needs to call 844-545-5640 to schedule an appointment.

The Contact Your Local Office tool on IRS.gov helps taxpayers find the closest IRS TAC, the days and hours of operation, and a list of services provided.

Once they make an appointment, taxpayers will receive an automated email to the address they provide. The email will confirm the day and time of their appointment.

Other Alternatives to Calling for an Appointment

All taxpayers should consider the self-service options on IRS.gov before calling for an appointment. Taxpayers can resolve many questions online without taxpayers having to travel to a Tax Assistance Center.

Taxpayers checking on a Tax Refund Status can:

• Use the “Where’s My Refund?” online tool.
• Call 800-829-1954 anytime to access the audio version of this tool.

Before using these tools, a taxpayer should have their Social Security number, filing status, and exact refund amount ready.

Taxpayers who need Answers to Tax Questions can:

• Use the Interactive Tax Assistant, which asks the taxpayer a series of questions and provides answers based on their input.
• Check out Publication 17, which covers a broad range of topics and updates on tax law changes.
• Visit the IRS Tax Map to find tax information on a variety of tax topics.
• Visit IRS.gov for info about what to do when a letter from the IRS arrives.
• View Publication 5136, IRS Services Guide (PDF), for additional ways taxpayers and tax professionals can get help.

Taxpayers who need to Make a Payment can:

• Use IRS Direct Pay on IRS.gov – a free, secure electronic payment method from a checking or savings account.
• Visit the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System for online and phone options.
• Pay when using tax software when e-filing, Taxpayers can pay online, by phone, or with a mobile device using the IRS2Go app.
• View their balance online or refer to the information in the notice they received to determine the amount owed. They can also access their tax account to view their recent payment history.
• Make a cash payment in-person at over 7,000 retail stores nationwide.
• Mail a personal, cashier’s check or money order made payable to “U.S. Treasury” along with a completed Form 1040-V, Payment Voucher. Taxpayers should never send cash.

Taxpayers who need forms & publications can:

• View, download, and print federal tax forms and publications anytime. Dozens of IRS publications are available to download.

Why you Could Just Use the Website

As a reminder, IRS.gov offers many online options for tax help that can save time and effort. Services include:

• Where’s My Refund? check refund status and estimated delivery date
• Free File, free tax software offered through IRS partners to allow you to file your taxes online
• Get Transcript, order a transcript online and have it mailed
• Direct Pay, make tax payments or estimated tax payments directly debited from a checking or savings account
• Electronic Federal Tax Payment System, individuals or businesses can make many federal tax payments
• Online Payment Agreement, eligible taxpayers can set up installment payments for taxes owed
• Where’s My Amended Return, track the status of your amended return
• Tax Law Questions provides direct links to helpful resources to answer many tax questions
• All IRS Forms and Publications, find and download current tax forms, instructions and publications

Getting Online Assistance

The IRS offers many intuitive online tools to answer some of the most common taxpayer questions. Some of the functions you can easily complete at irs.gov include:

• Entering an online payment plan agreement
• Checking the status of your refund or amended return
• Downloading tax transcripts
• Accessing publications, resources, and forms
• Making tax payments
• Filing tax returns, including free filing services for those with an income of less than $60,000 annually.

These services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and are used by approximately 700 million taxpayers every year,

Reasons to Visit an IRS Location

Although most IRS issues can be resolved online or over the phone, some problems and questions require in-person assistance. You should plan to make an appointment at your local TAC if:

• You have applied for an individual taxpayer ID number using Form W-7 and need to have your ID documents verified. This is done only at certain taking part TAC locations.
• You received a letter or notice from the IRS and don’t understand the next steps you should take, even after searching the agency’s website and seeking phone-based help.
• If you need to make a monthly, or annual tax payment and cannot do so online.
• You are an international visitor and need to get a certificate of tax clearance before leaving the United States. More information is available from Publication 513, Tax Information for Visitors to the United States.

Preparing for Your Appointment

Whether you’re visiting a TAC, TCE, or VITA IRS location, you’ll need to have most of the same documents with you. Make sure to bring the following for you and for your spouse if married filing jointly:

• W-2 and 1099 forms and all other income information
• Proof of ID for each party, as well as Social Security card
• Receipts from daycare providers
• Social Security number and birth date information for your dependents
• Deduction and credit information
• Proof of foreign status if applying for an individual taxpayer ID number
• Copies of previous tax returns and income information where applicable
• Bank account information.

If you are seeking help with a joint tax issue, both you and your spouse must be present at the appointment.

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