IRS announces special Saturday hours for face-to-face help; dozens of Taxpayer Assistance Centers open across the nation

Gustavo Lopez

Writer
IRS announces special Saturday hours for face-to-face help; dozens of Taxpayer Assistance Centers open across the nation

As part of an ongoing effort to improve service this tax season, the Internal Revenue Service today announced special Saturday hours for the next four months at the Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs). English) throughout the country.

Special Saturday availability nationwide will be from 9 am to 4 pm on February 11, March 11, April 8 and May 13. Offices in dozens of states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico will be open during this special four-month event, with no appointments necessary. Currently, more than 40 offices plan to open on February 11, with 58 offices currently scheduled for March 11. The IRS encourages taxpayers to visit a special page on IRS.gov for the latest information on Saturday special hours.

“These Saturday openings are part of the additional steps the IRS is taking to make a difference for taxpayers,” said Acting IRS Commissioner Doug O'Donnell. "IRS employees are working hard to help people by making improvements to our operations. These walk-in locations are critical, and Reduction Inflation Act funding allows us to add more employees across the country to help better serve taxpayers this storage season and beyond. These special places Saturday hours will help people get the services they need."

The IRS encourages everyone to first check IRS.gov for information on these special openings before traveling to an office. They may even find an online resource to solve their tax problems and avoid a trip.

At these offices, called TACs, people receive face-to-face help from IRS employees. Normally these centers are not open on Saturdays and people have to make an appointment to receive services.

During these Saturday hours, people are allowed to enter for all services that are normally offered in an office, except cash payments. They can also ask about creating an online account and obtaining an Identity Protection PIN, among other topics.

Service provided

The Contact Your Local IRS Office site lists all of the services provided under specific TACs.

If someone has questions about a tax bill or an IRS audit, or needs help solving a tax problem, they will be assisted by IRS employees who specialize in those services. If these employees are not available, the person will receive a referral for these services. Employees of the IRS Tax Lawyer Service may also be available to help with some problems.

Professional foreign language interpretation will be available in many languages through a telephone translation service. For people who are deaf or hard of hearing who require sign language interpreter services, IRS staff will schedule appointments for a later date. Alternatively, these individuals can call TTY/TDD 800-829-4059 to schedule an appointment.

Come prepared

For people visiting these offices, people must bring the following documents:

  • Current government issued photo ID,
  • Social Security or ITIN cards for themselves and all their family members, including their spouse and dependents (if applicable),
  • Any letters or notices received from the IRS and related documents,
  • For identity verification services, two identity documents and, if applicable, a copy of the tax return corresponding to the reference year.

During the visit, IRS staff may also request the following information:

  • A current mailing address,
  • Proof of bank account information included on a tax return to receive payments or refunds via direct deposit .

Tax Preparation Options

While tax return preparation is not a service offered at IRS TACs, information will be shared about local options available for free tax preparation. Support is also available using the following services:

  1. Eligible individuals or families can get free tax preparation assistance at the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) sites. To find free help with tax preparation near you, use the VITA Locator tool or call 800-906-9887 .
  2. To find an AARP Tax-Aide site, use the AARP Site Locator tool or call 888-227-7669 .
  3. Any individual or family making $73,000 or less in 2022 can use the tax software for free through IRS Free File . There are products in English and Spanish.
  4. MilTax , a program of the Department of Defense, offers free tax preparation and electronic filing software for federal tax returns and up to three state tax returns. It is available to all military and some veterans, with no income limit.

Help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at IRS.gov

The fastest and easiest way for people to get the help they need is through IRS.gov. Available resources include: