Don’t call the IRS this tax season

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailNeed to call the IRS with a question? Good luck with that. The IRS ombudsman tells us about half of taxpayers who call the agency this tax season won’t get through, and the average hold times could be 30 minutes or more.

In a report to Congress, the Taxpayer Advocate Service blamed the widening gap between the IRS’ workload and its shrinking resources (read: budget cuts) for “unacceptably low levels” of customer service.

You have some free alternatives if you need help filing your returns:

In addition, TurboTax and TaxAct offer free preparation of the simplest federal returns, but you pay to file state and more complicated returns.

The software programs do a good job of guiding most people through the preparation and filing process. If your tax situation is at all complex–you own a business, are an active investor or experienced a major life change, for example–consider hiring a tax pro. Enrolled agents are a good, lower-cost choice for most people, while CPAs offer more high-end help.