Need Help Filing Out Your Tax Return? Don't Call The IRS

[Purveyor]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Filing a federal tax return is about to get more complicated for millions of families because of President Barack Obama's health law. But they shouldn't expect much help from the Internal Revenue Service.

Got a question for the IRS? Good luck reaching someone by phone. The tax agency says only half of the 100 million people expected to call this year will be able to reach a person.

Callers who do get through may have to wait on hold for 30 minutes or more to talk to someone who will answer only the simplest questions.

"Taxpayers who need help are not getting it, and tax compliance is likely to suffer over the longer term if these problems are not quickly and decisively addressed," said a report Wednesday by agency watchdog Nina E. Olson.

IRS Commissioner John Koskinen says budget cuts are forcing the agency to reduce taxpayer services and other functions. The number of audits will decline, technology upgrades will be delayed and the agency might be forced to shut down and furlough workers for two days later this year, Koskinen said.

more...

http://news.yahoo.com/irs-cuts-taxpayer-services-filing-returns-gets-harder-150035056--finance.html

[ND-Dem]

1. This country's ruling class is destroying the place. Deliberately. Make no mistake, it's no

accident, and there's plenty of money for the things they want. Just not for anything that would benefit ordinary people or make the place liveable again.

[SheilaT]

2. I haven't done my own taxes in many years.

I have enough complications that it's well worth paying a professional.

[progree]

3. Me neither, but there have been some special situations that it was easier for me to handle

A couple of audit notices about something amiss sent by the IRS by mail, re: oh some issues that it was just as easy for me to handle as it would be for my tax professional, not to mention I didn't have to pay the tax professional and explain some of the history to him. And then sometimes having to keep following up with him too many times. I forget, but there have been a couple of other situations where I have had to deal with the IRS personally, because only I knew some of the history involved.

I always got through to the IRS pretty quickly, and the persons I reached were all knowledgable and friendly and helpful. There was one thing that turned complicated, but the IRS staffer really explained it well. But the last time I had to call the IRS was maybe 5 years ago.

I'm real concerned about what I've been reading the last 3 or so years about IRS customer service (if that's what its called) being shortstaffed.

I asked my tax professional about the IRS short-staff situation - he says that even though he gets to use a special phone number, he told me he's sometimes on hold for like 45 minutes.

It sounds like the ACA stuff is going to cause a lot of people to need to interact with the IRS.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/two-things-obamacare-will-do-to-your-2014-taxes-2015-01-06

[joshcryer]

4. Libraries have tax counselors generally.

Taxes tend to be pretty easy with the EZ forms, it's just a nightmare when you want to get into deductions and whatnot. If you don't have any deductions and are just a working class person the EZ form isn't that bad.

Here's a site to get you started, again, if you're working class (less than 50k a year): http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Free-Tax-Return-Preparation-for-You-by-Volunteers

[B Calm]

5. We use to use turbo tax, then we got a letter from the IRS tellng us we owe the the government

$10,000 dollars and if we didn't pay by a certain date we would be audited. That's when we turned to our local math teacher who does taxes on the side. When he was done, the government owed us money! I'll never do my taxes again.

[a kennedy]

6. On our state campus, the accountancy department will help the older citizens in our community

with their taxes.