Americans are desperate for help with their tax returns. The majority of taxpayers would settle for a DeVry University dropout with precisely three credit hours of accounting courses under their belt if it meant they wouldn’t have to deal with taxes at all.
Tax professionals, likewise, are overwhelmed. The clients they do have are pushy, demanding answers about everything from refund status to the possibility of metamorphosing into an LLC. When their patience wears thin, the only thing to do is pass them off to the next poor schmuck so they can get some breathing room.
The next schmuck is often at the IRS, and, get this, they’re swamped too! As you may have heard, they’re shorthanded and don’t need the added stress right now. Plus, they hate it when you tell these clowns to call the help desk for tax professionals:
The Internal Revenue Service is getting blitzed with phone calls from taxpayers to the help desk it has set up for tax professionals, and it’s asking tax pros to stop referring their clients there.
In an email to tax professionals Wednesday, the IRS said the inappropriate referrals to its e-help Desk are causing longer hold times on the phone.
“Each filing season, the e-help Desk receives phone calls from taxpayers because their tax preparer referred them for assistance resolving rejected returns, tax law and tax account matters,” said the IRS. “This increases the taxpayer’s burden and causes lengthier delays for everyone. The e-help desk cannot help these callers and must direct them to other sources for assistance – typically IRS.gov including Publication 5136, IRS Services Guide.“
Got that? You’re making things worse. Your cooperation is appreciated.
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Image: iStock/SusIO
