IRS

Yesterday (8.18.15): My husband and I are refinancing our house and getting a pay out so we can pay off our taxes that are owed. All I needed to get was a statement showing our balance. I went to the IRS office and the security guard would not let me in without an appointment. He gave me a telephone number to call to get an appointment and I sat outside the office calling the number. The automated service told me it took 30 to 60 minutes to get through. I started to cry just getting so upset that I was standing right there and they wouldn’t let me in just to get a simple letter stating my balance. The guards started laughing and making fun of me so I left truly defeated. I had to leave because it was almost time to pick up my kids from school but I stayed on the phone as I drove. I finally was able to get through to a representative but she did not offer to send me a statement she only gave me the balance over the phone. My finance company has to have an actual statement showing the balance in order to approve my loan. So now I am waiting until 7 a.m. to try to get an appointment and miss work just so I can go for 5 minutes to get in statement from the office that I was just at yesterday. It seems strange to me that they would have such poor customer service for someone who is trying their hardest to pay off their debt. I’m very very disappointed and have not even slept all night because this is still all up in the air.

Just a reminder have to set a appt no walk in. So I call the appt line told lady I was right outside building. Very nice she said let me see what I can do to get you in today. She got me in 20 min later want to thank the lady number #1 000 221 216 for helping me. There is great service still.

Yet another giant middle finger to the American tax payer. The epitome of the negligent bureaucracy that is any public service run by the US Government. This place, is undoubtedly, worse than the DMV.
The hours of operation are Monday — Friday 8:30am — 4:30pm. However, they tend to get backed up and shut down operations at around 2:00. You walk in through an airport security type set up. Then, you get in line to speak to the person working the front desk. The clerk will dispense a number for you indicating your time of arrival, business to conduct, and «place in line.» This is in quotes because it’s not an actual place in line, you may be holding ticket #500 but they skip numbers and are just all over the map. Towards the end of the day they were attending receipt number #101, I can only imagine how long that gentleman had been there. I held a ticket in the early #700’s and was served after ticket #870. This makes sense only in the head of the IRS. So do not feel free to step outside to grab a bite since they quoted you a 2+ hour wait time, because they might call your number in 5 minutes. Note: chances are this will only occur if you are out of the office, if you wait patiently you will probably wait nearly 2 hours.
Now, our tax system is a rather complex bureaucracy. But the IRS expects you to know exactly what to do, what forms you need, and basically have an LLM from Harvard making you a Master of Laws in Tax Law. If that’s not you, get ready for a couple trips to the IRS to deal with a single matter.
Bring any and all documents you may have, or you will be sent home empty-​handed given that they will probably need the one you don’t have with you. This people are not here to help you, they hate their jobs (much like DMV employees) and enjoy taking the frustration of their unfulfilling lives product of dropping out of college on you with complete disregard to your work schedule. Yes, they are perfectly aware you had to take the day off to go spend a day at IRS Spa & Resort; no they do not care you will have to it again tomorrow because they refuse to help you.
When you get to the front desk they will ask you what matter are you there to resolve. However, they will not be kind enough to inform you of the documents you may need, just in case you are missing some and need to go home and get them, or comeback another time. They will give you a ticket number and have you wait to be attended by one of their employees in their cubicles.
This is where it gets great, though. You will slide the door open and they will open with, «How can I TRY to help you?» Yes, they emphasize, «TRY.» The people you deal with in those cubicles are the rudest people you ever met. I am pretty sure if they break a smile they would spontaneously combust into flames. When you sit down if you don’t have exactly what they need they will send you home and tell you to come a different time. They will not try to help you, they do not care to help you. If you have questions they act like you are wasting their time and give you short half-​assed answers.
For the record, you cannot make an appointment to save yourself time. If a matter has to be handled in person with the IRS they recommend you get there at exactly 8:30am and hopefully they might be able to get to you within the hour. Otherwise you are looking at a couple hour wait.
Basically, this place makes the DMV look like a day in a warm California beach. Stay far, far, away at all costs.