Contacting your Taxpayer Advocate. If you have attempted to deal with an IRS problem unsuccessfully, you should contact your Taxpayer Advocate.
The Taxpayer Advocate independently represents your interests and concerns within the IRS by protecting your rights and resolving problems that have not been fixed through normal channels. While Taxpayer Advocates cannot change the tax law or make a technical tax decision, they can clear up problems that resulted from previous contacts and ensure that your case is given a complete and impartial review.
To contact your Taxpayer Advocate:
- Call the Taxpayer Advocate toll free at 1-877-777-4778.
- Call, write, or fax the Taxpayer Advocate office in your area.
- Call 1-800-829-4059 if you are a TTY/TDD user.
- Visit the web site at www.irs.gov/advocate.
Free tax services. To find out what services are available, get Publication 910, Guide to Free Tax Services. It contains a list of free tax publications and an index of tax topics. It also describes other free tax information services, including tax education and assistance programs and a list of TeleTax topics.
Internet. You can access the IRS web site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at www.irs.gov to:
- E-file. Access commercial tax preparation and e-file services available for free to eligible taxpayers.
- Check the amount of advance child tax credit payments you received in 2003.
- Check the status of your 2003 refund. Click on “Where’s My Refund” and then on “Go Get My Refund Status.” Be sure to wait at least 6 weeks from the date you filed your return (3 weeks if you filed electronically) and have your 2003 tax return available because you will need to know your filing status and the exact whole dollar amount of your refund.
- Download forms, instructions, and publications.
- Order IRS products on-line.
- See answers to frequently asked tax questions.
- Search publications on-line by topic or keyword.
- Figure your withholding allowances using the IRS Form W-4 calculator.
- Send the IRS comments or request help by e-mail.
- Sign up to receive local and national tax news by e-mail.
- Get information on starting and operating a small business.
Fax. You can get over 100 of the most requested forms and instructions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by fax. Just call 703-368-9694 from your fax machine. Follow the directions from the prompts. When you order forms, enter the catalog number for the form you need. The items you request will be faxed to you.
For help with transmission problems, call 703-487-4608. Long-distance charges may apply.
Phone. Many services are available by phone.
- Ordering forms, instructions, and publications. Call 1-800-829-3676 to order current-year forms, instructions, and publications and prior-year forms and instructions. You should receive your order within 10 days.
- Asking tax questions. Call the IRS with your tax questions at 1-800-829-1040.
- Solving problems. You can get face-to-face help solving tax problems every business day in IRS Tax-payer Assistance Centers. An employee can explain IRS letters, request adjustments to your account, or help you set up a payment plan. Call your local Taxpayer Assistance Center for an appointment. To find the number, go to www.irs.gov or look in the phone book under “United States Government, Internal Revenue Service.”
- TTY/TDD equipment. If you have access to TTY/ TDD equipment, call 1-800-829-4059 to ask tax or account questions or to order forms and publications.
- TeleTax topics. Call 1-800-829-4477 to listen to pre-recorded messages covering various tax topics.
- Refund information. If you would like to check the status of your 2003 refund, call 1-800-829-4477 for automated refund information and follow the recorded instructions or call 1-800-829-1954. Be sure to wait at least 6 weeks from the date you filed your return (3 weeks if you filed electronically) and have your 2003 tax return available because you will need to know your filing status and the exact whole dollar amount of your refund.
