Taxpayers faced significantly longer wait times when calling the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) during this year’s tax season, according to a recent report submitted to Congress by the National Taxpayer Advocate. The report indicates that the average hold time for callers was approximately 14 minutes, with some IRS departments recording wait times as long as 45 minutes. Out of 48 million calls placed to the agency, customer service representatives answered fewer than 10 million, representing roughly 21% of all calls.

The challenges in reaching IRS agents reflect a broader issue of overwhelming call volume. Many taxpayers report encountering automated attendants unable to connect them to live representatives due to high demand. An illustrative case involved an individual attempting to resolve matters related to a deceased family member’s final tax return. Despite numerous calls—up to 14 attempts documented over two months—most resulted in extended hold periods, calls terminated by the system, or unreturned requests for callbacks. In several instances when contact was made, representatives provided conflicting instructions, revealing inconsistencies in IRS customer support responses.

Independent testing of IRS phone lines during March and April further underscored the difficulties taxpayers encountered. The Center for Taxpayer Rights’ analysis of 149 calls made to eight distinct IRS phone numbers reported frequent “courtesy disconnects” where calls were not answered, as well as average wait times exceeding 30 minutes on five of the lines. A former National Taxpayer Advocate recounted spending over five hours on hold in a single day while attempting to reach multiple IRS contact points.

The IRS suggests several strategies to minimize wait times: calling later in the week, particularly avoiding Mondays and Tuesdays; placing calls early in the day when lines open at 7 a.m.; and utilizing tax professionals who have dedicated priority lines, which had significantly shorter hold times averaging eight minutes this season. However, the persistence of lengthy wait times and low answer rates highlights ongoing challenges for the agency in managing taxpayer inquiries during peak periods.

These prolonged delays can have significant consequences, especially for taxpayers needing to resolve complex issues or provide documentation. The National Taxpayer Advocate’s report and testimonies point to a pressing need for the IRS to enhance staffing, streamline call handling, and improve communication clarity to better serve taxpayers who rely heavily on phone support during tax season.