Trouble getting tax account transcripts from IRS

[J J Moose 3]

My spouse and I are in the process of filing jointly for ROC. I'm trying to get our paperwork together to file in April (GC expires in June) but I cannot get the tax account transcripts. I've been trying to request them online for about 2 weeks and every time I get a technical error and it says "please try again later." I tried calling the number on the website that's specifically to request transcripts, but after entering in my information, it said my request could not be processed and referred me to the website. I tried calling the main IRS phone number, but after wandering in the endless phone menu for 15 minutes, I ended up in the tax account transcript section and it again told me my request could not be processed. I tried emailing them through their "contact us" page and did not get a response after a week of waiting for one.

Is anyone else having these issues? Does anyone know how to talk to a real person at the IRS? I understand they are very busy right now with tax season, but this important to me and I feel like I'm hitting a wall here.

[belle + eli 1]

Yes had trouble too. Maybe after today i will get tax transcripts needed. About two and a half weeks ago I ordered tax transcripts over the automated phone ordering system and they never arrived. Today I tried to order online, but I kept getting an error message a saying my address was not correct and my request could not be processed. I tried ordering by phone again but was not sure if it would work, so I called the 1-800 number on the irs website. After two tries of dead end menu searching, I finally reached an operator, who confirmed my address was correct in their system and she also placed my order for tax transcripts for me. I wish i could tell you the exact path to navigate the menu to reach the irs phone representative. I do remember I pressed it was for individual return and then I pressed that i had a question about a current tax return and then there were a couple of more options before the menu finally said please wait while I connect you to a representative. I am sure there are a few menu paths that will reach a phone rep, so just keep trying. There is also good news that I called around 4pm when I thought the system would be too busy to get help, but the automated system said the wait will be between 2 and 4 minutes and it was a short wait.

[Darnell 8,478]

i had trouble online due to addresses. plural... I have multiple properties, multiple addresses so it's a hassle each year to remind the IRS which is actually my primary residence (as all 4 are, depending on the time of year) . each time i'd receive a payment or make a payment, tied to any of my addresses, the current, actual address was used, but

somehow the IRS updates their system on me, each time, to show the 'last used' address as my current address, and that's never the real-time , correct thing.

what i have done is get into an IRS office and got them in person, face to face.

Edited April 2, 2013 by Darnell

[ubamama 5]

call that number again just don't press any of the options after a while an operator will pick the call and ask you basic questions before redirecting your call. it might take up to 20mins for somebody to answer your call. I did mine last week Monday and they arrived today.

[J J Moose 3]

Thanks for the tips, everyone!

[kari81 18]

Why dont you go to the local IRS office in your area? With just a proof of your ID, you can get your tax transcript within a few minutes.

[markiweiss49 4]

IF YOUR TAX RETURN WASN'T PROCESSED, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO ORDER TAX TRANSCRIPTS ONLINE. ONCE ITS PROCESSED, THEN YOU WON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS ORDERING IT ONLINE.

[Pitaya 2,577]

I just received our IRS transcript for tax year 2012, our first year of "MFJ." I ordered it online about ten days ago.

Alas, the associated refund is long gone.... lol

YMMV.

[J J Moose 3]

Found a way to talk to an IRS representative. Turns out if you press 1 for English and then # during the next menu, you get to talk to a real person. I'm on hold now waiting to speak with someone.

Unfortunately, our "local IRS office" is over an hour away, and it's hard to find that kind of time during business hours.