https://www.govexec.com/management/2026/10/irs-top-performers-performance-ratings/416825/

The IRS says it needs top performers, even if they don't all receive the performance ratings they deserve.

Think about that. Employees are dealing with growing workloads, staffing shortages, and systems that don't always work. Leadership praises them for keeping things moving with overtime and extra hours, then questions those same tools while the backlog remains.

Now imagine your boss telling you that you're doing an outstanding job, but you're still getting an average rating. Eventually, you're going to stop giving away your personal time.

This isn't just a federal employee problem. When the IRS fails to retain experienced employees and manage workloads effectively, taxpayers ultimately feel the consequences through delays, backlogs, and potentially less efficient service.

You can't demand exceptional performance while treating it like average work and expect that strategy to last.

The question is: Do taxpayers really believe the IRS can improve service by expecting more from employees while giving them fewer reasons to go above and beyond?

Am I still waiting for a 571 code?

Is it just me or has access to my account been changed? Like I can’t see everything I used to be able to see and it looks like an estimated payment I sent in was applied to a previous year that had a zero balance. It just looks wrong. How do I find out what is correct.

In the summer time, I filed Form 2553 to update my company's tax status to an S-corp. At this point, I'm assuming the IRS never received the form. (I've filed other tax forms that were addressed fairly quickly, so for that reason, I'm assuming they never received the form.)

I've been calling the IRS, following the prompts, but even now in the morning, they say they are too many calls and the call ends.

Is there any way to verify online what's my company's tax status?

I would file this form again, but my concern is that upon approval, they'll come back with late fees from the previous quarters.

I waited on hold for 2 hours, when I finally got connected it was some automated message "The IRS cannot accept calls using AI, this call is being terminated"

I was not using AI and I was calling to get my EIN that you have been unable to provide through your shitty website. Please advise

Filed on tax deadline 4/15 and it always says return received , but thats it , I never had any issues filing my federal at all , and I do them myself. I dont know if I should call or what? Help please

Hello IRS and financial people ...

We have never had this happen before. An official-looking letter that states we need to upload an ID to get our refund that was submitted through, and validated/cleared by TurboTax.

We've never had this before. Is this real?

I received this notice last month but still no refund. Also whenever I logging into my account it’s giving me this message now pls help I’m so confused.

I got notice Form CP53E. I have called everyday- no answer (Due to the high volume of calls...). I called to make an appointment at my local TAC- no one will answer to make appointment (Due to the high volume of calls...). I recently received a deposit from the IRS from the very bank account they claim they cannot verify?!

I have IRS.gov IDme account. I cannot access it that way. Its for my Dad who has no cell phone, has been declared mentally incompetent and is an invalid (yes I have established this at the IRS office). The phone number for Dad is a landline.

HR Block confirmed the Direct Deposit information is there and correct. They gave me a submission ID# proving this. They said I selected a Check (lie). The refund is over $10,000 so I got a pop up message when I submitted, they cannot Direct Deposit that. So I imagine it changed to that.

So why this dumbass letter about Direct Deposit?! If they are sending a check eventually- WTF?!

Should I just show up at the TAC office and ask to wait all day?

I’m seriously at my wit’s end and hoping someone here has experienced something similar and can help.
For approximately SIX MONTHS, I’ve been stuck in an endless identity verification loop between ID.me and the IRS.

Here’s the ridiculous part:
- I have ALREADY completed a live video verification with an ID.me agent.
- I have been verbally told by TWO separate agents that my identity has been successfully verified.
- Despite this, I STILL cannot access my IRS account online.
- Every time I attempt to sign in, I’m redirected right back into the verification process.
- I’ve contacted both ID.me and the IRS multiple times, and they continually point fingers at each other. ID.me blames the IRS, and the IRS blames ID.me.
- SIX MONTHS LATER, absolutely nothing has been resolved.

I’m not trying to verify my identity for the first time. I’ve already done that! I’m simply trying to access my IRS account, and nobody seems to know how to fix whatever is preventing that.
I feel like I’m going in circles with two organizations that keep passing responsibility back and forth while I’m left without access to my own account.

My questions:
- Has anyone experienced this exact situation where ID.me confirms you’re verified but you still cannot access your IRS account?
- Is there a specific department, escalation team, or technical support contact that can actually investigate this?
- Can someone manually reset or correct whatever is causing the verification loop without making me repeat the entire process?
- Has anyone successfully resolved this, and if so, HOW?

I’m not looking for the standard troubleshooting suggestions or another link to the same verification page. I’ve spent six months trying to resolve this through the normal channels.

I’m hoping someone out there, maybe even someone familiar with how ID.me and IRS account access work, can point me toward an actual solution.
Any genuine help would be greatly appreciated. I’m exhausted from getting nowhere.

Hello everyone.

I left a company and I am required to pay back an amount due to a breach in the contract of time in position. I was given $7500 for relocation, $1250 for not using all of my moving assistance allowance, and rental reimbursement for the location move. I am currently trying to get this waived but I don’t think it will happen. Does anyone know how much if any of this could be deducted from taxes since I am paying back?

Thanks.

TLDR; They may have already assigned you an EIN and didn’t tell you. Try logging in to the IRS business tax account portal, there’s a chance there’s one there.

Hi all, posting this in the hopes it helps anyone else struggling to get an EIN or gets a reference code like 101 and can’t get ahold of IRS.

My issue: I had applied for an EIN online and after submitting, the site said it was down and to try again later. Tried again later and got reference code 101 (data mismatch). Tried calling for a week at given number, line says no one is available and hung up. Faxed my application using an online service. Called daily for 2 weeks to no avail. Resubmitted application through fax. Friend of mine had same problem.

Currently: Day 30. Received a letter in the mail that an EIN had already been assigned. Turns out the first time I applied I was assigned an EIN, it just never told me and gave me reference code 101. Found it was the same for my friend.

Solution: If you log in to the IRS business tax account portal, there’s a chance it’s already in there. My friend and I both found that we had an EIN registered to us in the portal the entire time and never knew. We were calling and faxing for no reason.

about to set up an installment agreement n trying to run the real numbers on what the IRS payment plan interest rate costs over five years, federal short term rate plus 3% compounded daily plus a 0.25% per month failure to pay penalty while on the agreement and on a 40K balance that could add 20 to 30 percent by the end, am i doing that math right? and can anyone who has been thru this confirm whether those numbers played out or if the actual total was different?

I did not know the IRS sends out flash drives now.

Transcript updated this past Saturday with 290 $0.00. Receive letter on my IRS portal saying that a refund is due to me. But I don’t see code 764, 766, or 846. I’m so confused, but I guess I’ll eventually get them. Anybody else got this, without having any hold or freeze codes?

So I won some money on the Hardrock, had already filed and received my refund before I got the form from the HardRock. From my understanding Im owed like $1200. I efiled my amended return via the same software I used originally. It's showed up on my transcripts.

Question is, is it really gonna take 16 weeks to process. I can see in my account the IRS also has the gambling form. Obviously I know it wnt be overnight but I need a car sooooo ya know lol.

As I understand it, based on this transcript, she's supposed to be receiving $2,081.83 as a refund, but was cancelled the first time due to failure in updating her bank account details in her ID.me account (Notice received, CP 053E, on 7/27/26). I updated her bank account info since then.

Then they re-sent the refund again, but I think this time it's through mail (check, not direct deposit). And then they un-sent/cancelled/tagged is as undelivered AGAIN even though it's been the same mailing address she's been using for years to receive her monthly pension.

What should we do? Should we call IRS (001-267-941-1000) or just fill out and the Form 882 and send online? I already did my research but as a non-US resident, I just want to confirm if what we're about to do is correct. It's also her first time to receive a refund so we have no idea how to do things. Thank you in advance for your advices.

What number are yall using these days? I can’t get ahold of anyone ? The one I’m using at 7 am is already giving me the pre recorded line of “at this time all agents are busy in the topic you requested”

Thanks in advance if there’s a secret new number!

first year doing 1099 work and i didnt set aside enough. i can pay it off in about 10 months. from what i read the IRS payment plan has interest and penalties. my credit is good (730) so i was thinking a 0% intro card might be cheaper. is that dumb? anything im missing?

Been waiting on my refund for 10 months now. Logged into the IRS website to check the status again after my wife discovered that the system had an error that prevented our refund from being released and got this notice.

I know the second bullet point for documentation is circled but my question is about the third one. Are they under the impression that we have received retirement benefits in 2025 and that we did not report one of those forms? Wife and I are mid-30s, definitely not retired.

Haven't been able to speak to anyone at the IRS about this nonsense and could use the guidance.

To make a long story short I was on a payment arrangement I defaulted on cuz I thought I had auto pay set up but did not I missed the window to reinstate and haven’t filed 2025 I received a cp523 I called today and they gave me 10 days to electronically file but my preparer cannot efile cause it’s past the 15th what are my options she said we could mail in my taxes but they gave me 10 days will my bank account be levied over 13k I’m tripping right now what are my options