Source
r/personalfinance•
Ruby_Ruth

Best strategy to get through to the IRS?

Taxes

I received a letter from the IRS saying we didn't pay our 2020 tax bill, with a bill for the balance owed + interest and fees. We've paid the bill; I can see on my irs.gov portal where it's been paid in full, on the day before taxes were due this year. I'm pretty sure the IRS applied the payment to our 2021 estimated taxes rather than using it to pay our 2020 amount owed, in error.

From an internet search, I've found that this is a fairly easy problem to fix if you can talk to someone at the IRS - sounds like they just apply the payment to the correct tax year and we're good (we won't owe any additional taxes in 2021 if I've done my calculations correctly). However, I've been calling for several days now, and after I go through all the menu prompts I get a message that says something like "We're sorry - due to the volume of calls with your issue we're unable to take your call. Please call back later or on the next business day." I've probably tried about 10-20 times now, and always get the same result.

Anyone have any advice on how to get through? Additional penalties kick in for this bill on 7/17 and I'm worried I'll never get to speak to a person!

Posted Jul 9, 2021, 10:19 PM UTC

511
wild_b_cat​•

Did you pay with the DirectPay through the website?

If so, you're not the first person to report this:

https://www.reddit.com/r/tax/comments/ogbyzb/received_a_letter_from_irs_in_the_mail_saying_we/

I suspect it's an IRS issue that should get cleared up soon.

3
Ruby_RuthOP​•

Well, I just checked and I absolutely did. Thank you! That makes me feel a bit better!

1
KingPete235​•

Maybe try calling your local IRS office and see if they can help you

1
these-things-happen​•

Look at your Direct Pay information.

Correct tax year (2020)?

Correct SSN? If this is a Married Filing Joint return, is the payment SSN the same as the primary Taxpayer SSN, listed first on the return?

1
reckoning4ce​•

I don't think you need to spend the hours on hold it would take to have a phone call with an IRS agent.

Take a screen shot of your portal showing the payment. Print that out and mail it to the IRS along with a brief cover letter asking if your payment was incorrectly applied. Send it certified mail with signature receipt. Since you know you paid, I wouldn't worry about the deadline.

A couple of years ago I got the same letter from the IRS. I was working 70 hour weeks at the time, so just downloaded a copy of the cashed check from my bank, hand wrote "this was paid, see attached" on a copy of the letter from the IRS, and sent them off.

In due course I got a very nice letter from the IRS confirming that my payment was now correctly applied and the matter was closed.

1
Ruby_RuthOP​•

That’s a good idea. I may try that if I don’t get through soon.

1
ShockinglyAccurate​•

[Use the strategy on this site] (https://lifehacker.com/how-to-talk-to-a-real-human-at-the-irs-without-waiting-1842128259) and call as soon as the line opens for your region. I believe it's usually at 7 AM local time. This method worked for me to speak to a real person two days in a row last week with only about a half hour on hold.

1
Ruby_RuthOP​•

Thank you! I will try that first thing Monday.

2
ShockinglyAccurate​•

Good luck!

1
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0
KenyanDave​•

Call your local US Representative. They may help

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