The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers and tax professionals to use electronic options to support social distancing and speed the processing of tax returns, refunds and payments.
To protect the public and employees, and in compliance with orders of local health authorities around the country, certain IRS services such as live assistance on telephones, processing paper tax returns and responding to correspondence continue to be extremely limited. Any tax return which requires review, whether it was filed electronically or on paper, may also take longer because many review processes cannot be done virtually. While some volunteer tax preparation sites are operating at a reduced capacity, most remain closed until further notice.
There will continue to be delays in phone calls – both those answered and returned – and other communications – both email and written correspondence via United States Postal Service – which may also include notices of liens, garnishments and other notices of balances, penalties and fees as applicable.
The IRS indicates that the website – IRS.gov – remains the best source for questions about tax law, checks on refund status, tax payments and other services, and automated phone lines which handle most taxpayer calls, also remain available – which also have an option to reach a customer service representative eventually, but that callers should continue to expect long waits due to limited staffing.