[Brucester]

No matter what time of day I keep getting the"extremely high caller volume please try back again another time" message. How many times do I have to try? PM me to keep this sekret.

[coldrain108]

If I want to talk to someone at Comcast/AT&T/BofA I always hit the "order new service" option - gets me an operator right quick. Not sure if there is an option like that on the IRS directory. Maybe one for "pay bill now" or some such.

[AlpineRose]

You are reaping the results of two IRS budget cuts. If you feel it would benefit you to actually be able to contact the IRS, contact your Congressmen/women and ask that those cuts be restored. Explain to me how anyone that preaches about a balanced budget and/or fiscal responsibility would hamstring the government's revenue collecting function.

[Bernardo]

Can you ask your question in a general way here? I remember lots of tax experts chiming in when someone asked a question.

[Magellan]

I went to their office in downtown Seattle once. Yes, budget cuts have severely reduced IRS staff.

[Brucester]

I always get other peoples mail.... This time it was me who never got my mail, my tax refund. IRS sent a notice, glad they did. Excited to get a check reissued. Frustrated by not being able to contact them. Wanting to send in a big car payment. That'd be sweet. I'll try some more, got another number to call.

[info]

[DIYSteve]

^ cherry picking. The IRS budget decreased in 2010, 2011 and 2012. See http://www.factcheck.org/2013/06/a-botched-attack-on-irs-budget/ The IRS is still recovering from Congress continually junking up the IR Code with complex rules (mostly favoring special interests) and simultaneously cutting IRS funding. That is, the IRS has been asked to administer a more and more complex Code with fewer and fewer resources. The result is that tax cheaters are less likely than ever to get caught. But we gotta pay for that $1,700,000,000,000 war somehow, no?

[Malachai Constant]

Mere mortals have an incredible time filling out the forms on Limited Partnerships and such but the bad guys know how to do it without difficulty. It is a matter of the Golden Rule, he who has the gold makes the rules.

[DIYSteve]

Matching a 3-year period with the prior 3-year period to provide 6-year info (2010 to 2015) is cherry picking? Who knew?

[Billoutwest]

I confess. Our taxes got complicated enough for me so that we went to an accountant. Close to a $400 fee now. My wife's inheritance, K- form, the state allowing some charitable where the federal will not. How to do my wife's 40 acres of real timber in Western Oregon where we cleaned up blow down. Oregon has a break for federal employees for about half my pension not being state taxed because of a scam Oregon tried to pull. Trivia: With my wife's siblings making it 'difficult' because Mom and Dad didn't set it up properly we've decided to take action now. I'm putting together lists with info on everything. Trust Estates on the way. I don't want my kids stressed and calling the IRS. Good Luck to all of you.

[ChrisSJI]

[Brucester]

Called that new number and still didn't get through. Went to office after checking website somehow I overlooked the by appointment only part. Luckily it was a slow day and there was a kind soul there. Four to six weeks and I get to make a big car payment. Thanks everyone, I appreciate the responses!