The IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (IRS TAC) is your go-to place for all your tax needs and challenges you need to be resolved in person. If you are in a complicated tax year, then this is the article you need to resolve all your tax issues.
This article covers all you need to know about the IRS TAC, what services they offer, why you should visit an office, how to find a TAC office near you, and everything you need to know before scheduling an appointment to visit an IRS TAC.
Let’s get right in!
Taxpayer Assistance Center
An IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) is the source to turn to when you suspect your tax problem cannot be resolved over the phone or online and need in-person tax help.
A Taxpayer assistance center also called a “walk-in office,” provides in-person assistance on various services, including obtaining tax documents, making account modifications, answering procedural questions, and establishing an installment arrangement (payment plan).
There are over 400 IRS offices worldwide where taxpayers can easily walk in and get assistance for their issues instantly, especially when they are issues that cannot be handled over the phone or online.
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What Services Does Taxpayer Assistance Center Provide?
Local Taxpayer Assistance Centers offer help in-person with several tax-related issues. Service is available at these centers only by appointment. The Taxpayer Assistance Center provides assistance in the following areas:
- Account inquiries (help with letters, notices, and levies on wages or bank account)
- Adjustments (changes to tax account information or payments)
- Solutions to tax issues
- Requests for Taxpayer Advocate Service Assistance
- Basic tax law assistance (answers related to individual Federal Tax Returns)
- Assistance with preparing Form 2290, Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (submission of tax return if unable to e-file)
- Alien clearances (sailing permits)
- Assistance with Affordable Care Act tax provision questions for individuals
- Assistance with questions about tax law changes in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
- Payments/payment arrangements (does not accept cash payments);
- Tax forms (based on availability)
- Taxpayer identification numbers.
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Why You Should Visit an IRS Taxpayer Center
Want to know what an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center can do for you? Below are the top 10 reasons you need to visit an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center:
- You can just stroll into an IRS TAC for a face-to-face. No appointment is necessary unless you require major assistance.
- Free Federal Tax Return Preparation: For people who are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit or have an income under $49,000, your local TAC will generate simple tax forms.
- Multilingual Assistance: Don’t allow a language barrier to keep you from receiving the in-person tax help you may require. Over 150 different languages are used to provide multilingual services to taxpayers. These services are offered by multilingual staff members and a phone interpreter.
- Individual Taxpayer Identification Number: Bring your completed tax return, Form W7, and certified copies of your identity papers to your local TAC to file your return and apply for an ITIN if you are not qualified for a Social Security Number. Consult Publication 519, U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens, for further details.
- Form 2290, Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax Return: Your local TAC can assist you in filling out Form 2290, receive your money, and provide you with the necessary receipts to bring when registering your car.
- Payments: You can make payments at an IRS Taxpayer assistance center. However, you must ensure you know the tax year and the kind of tax the payment pertains to. Also, be careful to include any IRS notices you may have received.
- Tax Forms: If you need tax forms, you can get most IRS forms and publications at your local Taxpayer Assistance Center.
- Tax Return and Tax Account Transcripts: Do you require a copy of your tax return to apply for financial aid or a mortgage? If so, the requirements of these lending institutions will often be satisfied by a tax return or tax account transcript. For free transcripts, which are typically offered for the previous three years and the current year, visit your neighborhood TAC.
- Alien Clearances: Before departing the country, most foreign nationals must get a tax conformity certificate. Before leaving the United States, this document must be obtained from the IRS, commonly referred to as the sailing permission or departure permit. Your local TAC is where you may obtain permission. Consult Publication 513, Tax Information for Visitors to the United States, for further details.
- Notices or letters: If you need face-to-face support to understand the next step after receiving a letter or notice.
What Taxpayers Should Know Before Visiting an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center
Taxpayers may encounter tax-related challenges at any time of the year. They could need to file an updated tax return, or they might have received a notification from the IRS. Before visiting an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center for in-person assistance with their tax problems, here are a few things taxpayers need to know:
- You must call to schedule an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center appointment. You can find the number to call at the bottom of this article.
- There is a Contact Your Local Office tool on the official you can use to find the nearest Taxpayer Assistance Center to you as well their days of operations. Also, you can use this tool to see a list of services the TAC provides.
- Once your appointment is scheduled, an automated email will be sent to you, and your day and time of appointment will be confirmed in the email.
- Also, before you visit an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center, you may need to consider the self-service options on IRS.gov to see if you can find a solution to your challenge before scheduling an appointment. This is because most cases can be resolved online without visiting a Taxpayer Assistance Center.
What Taxpayer Issues Can Be Resolved Online?
To iterate, most Taxpayer cases can be resolved online without having to visit a Taxpayer Assistance Center. If you have any issues, you could check through the list below and see if you can fix your tax issues. If not, then you can call to schedule an appointment.
1. Taxpayers checking on a tax refund status can:
- Use the “Where’s My Refund?” tool online on IRS.gov.
- You may access the audio version of this tool at any time by dialing 800-829-1954.
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2. Taxpayers who need answers to tax questions can:
- You can use the Interactive Tax Assistant, which prompts the user to answer a series of questions depending on their responses.
- Check out Publication 17, which updates tax law changes and covers various issues.
- Visit the IRS Tax Map to locate tax information on various tax subjects.
- Visit IRS.gov for info about what to do when a letter from the IRS arrives.
- View Publication 5136, IRS Services Guide, for more information on other services available to taxpayers and tax professionals.
3. Also, Taxpayers who need to make a payment can:
- Use IRS Direct Pay on IRS.gov. It is a cost-free, safe way to make an electronic payment from a checking or savings account.
- Visit the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System for online and phone options.
- Taxpayers can use the IRS2Go app to submit taxes electronically and to pay their taxes via mobile device, phone, or internet.
- You can check your balance online here; if not, then you can assess the information in the notice you received to determine the amount owed. Also, you can view your recent payment history by accessing your tax account.
- You can choose to visit any of the over 7,000 retail stores nationwide to make a cash payment.
- If not, you can send a completed Form 1040-V, Payment Voucher together with a personal, cashier’s, or money order payable to “U.S. Treasury.” Taxpayers should never send cash.
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How to Contact the IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center
Here is how you can contact the IRS:
- For Individuals: Toll-Free, 1-800-829-1040. Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (your local time).
- For Businesses: Toll-Free, 1-800-829-4933. Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (your local time).
- For Exempt Organizations, Retirement Plan Administrators, and Government Entities: 1-877-829-5500. Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Central Time
- For people with hearing impairments: Toll-Free 1-800-829-4059 (TDD). Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (your local time). For further information, see Tax Topic 102.
Source: pingree.house.gov
Taxpayer Assistance Center Locator
With the Taxpayer Assistance Center locator, you can locate the nearest Taxpayer Assistance Center. You can search by address or state, city, or zip code. You can also search using your current location.
To find the nearest Taxpayer Assistance Center to you, use the link below:
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Conclusion
This is all that there is to know about the IRS TAC. This article contains all you need to know about the services TAC offers, how, the reasons you need to visit an IRS TAC, and the things you need to know before visiting. Also, it lists all of the self-service options you can access online before going through the hassles of visiting a TAC office near you – which you can find using the IRS TAC locator.
FAQs
The Internal Revenue Service provides free tax assistance in person, over the phone, online, and by computer. The IRS provides forms and materials to taxpayers and responds to a wide range of tax-related inquiries. Additionally, the IRS can assist people in locating free tax preparation services.
Taxpayers should use the 844-545-5640 number to make an appointment. Every TAC offers service by appointment only. The Contact Your Local Office function on IRS.gov enables taxpayers to locate the nearest IRS TAC, its business days and hours, and a description of its services.
Through its telephone helplines, the Internet, through IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers, and volunteer income tax assistance, the IRS helps people fulfill their federal tax return filing and payment duties.
Without an appointment, taxpayers can still drop off a payment, file their tax return, or even pick up a tax form. For the days, hours, and services provided at the IRS TAC site you want to visit, please always check IRS.gov or the IRS2Go app.
IRS phone number:
Contact the IRS by calling 1-800-829-1040. From 7 AM to 7 PM local time, Monday through Friday, this line is accessible. You will be prompted by the automated system to choose your preferred language.
References
- landmarktaxgroup.com – Taxpayer Assistance Center – Getting IRS Help
- apostille.us – REASONS TO VISIT AN IRS TAXPAYER ASSISTANCE CENTER
- IRS.gov – Here’s what taxpayers should know before visiting an IRS office
- 211wisconsin.communityos.org – Taxpayer Assistance Center Services
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