Eight Hours on Hold Highlighting the IRS Help-Line Troubles
A National Taxpayer Advocate report shows the IRS often leaves taxpayers waiting on hold for minutes to hours during tax season, with about 21% of 48 million calls answered and some lines averaging 30+ minutes, while experiences vary by department. The piece personalizes this with a reader’s ordeal filing a final return for a deceased mother: repeated calls, long holds (including an 8‑hour stretch), conflicting guidance from agents, and “courtesy disconnects,” underscoring systemic access problems. It also notes strategies to improve experiences, such as calling during peak tax season, times of the week when waits are shorter, calling early, and using accountants for priority lines.