Taxes

Need 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:

• The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program can help people with low to moderate incomes (generally $53,000 or less), the disabled, the elderly and those with limited English.
• Tax Counseling for the Elderly offers help to all taxpayers but specializes in helping those 60 and over.
• AARP Foundation’s Tax-Aide provides free tax preparation for low to moderate income taxpayers, “especially those 60 and older.”

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.