Man GOOD LUCK trying to call the IRS

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

I posted here yesterday that I got a letter saying our return from a couple of years ago is "under examination." People here recommended I call, I agreed.

So I got some paperwork together and called. Went through about 17 menus (press 1 if you are a humanoid) and then thought I was waiting for a human when suddenly I got a long recording of what to provide as documentation if you are taking the Earned Income Credit. Then it hung up on me.

Called back, same number, recording saying number out of service.

It's the regional office in Fresno, CA.

WHAT THE HELL?

Grrrrr. Just wanted to vent. They want you to call then you can't talk to anyone. Going to go see "Napoleon Dynamite" and will try their stupid stinking number later.

[Parche]

1. irs

I got a letter saying they have "audited" me on my previous
years, maybe all of the democrats are getting audited?
It really peaves me off to think that huge companies and
rich people have tax writeoffs and get the loop holes
while we pay thru the nose.

[lazarus]

2. keep hitting zero

often times that'll get you to an operator.

[jdj]

6. Well I may have discovered a way around this, too.

If they ask for a social or any long # enter it wrong a couple of times. They'll assume you are stupid and put you through to a human (probably stupid people customer support or something). I inadvertedly discovered this while trying to get through to tech support the other day. It's through timewarner cable and there is no direct line for roadrunner; it asked for a phone number and I guess I entered it wrong and a recording came on that said "you have exceeded the allowed number of tries, (???????????) please hold for a service rep". And they put me right through to a homo sapien. I was stunned; it took a third of the time as it usually does. Good luck.

[Speck Tater]

3. Change your name and skip the country.

It's the only solution once the IRS knows you exist. ;)

[RodneyCK2]

4. I managed to get through last year...

but maybe they have changed the system. Search the Internet for an alternative number.

They are always hounding me, nickle and dime more like it, because I am a freelance graphic designer.

What I want to know is if they do this to Microsoft and other big Co's? Yes, hound the little guy with no money, but let corporate offshore tax-breaks occur. Bastards (sorry for the rant).

[truhavoc]

5. Probably not because they can afford the lawyer to fight back n/t