IRS Expands Voice Bot Options
The IRS recently announced expanded voice bot options as part of its efforts to improve the taxpayer experience.
The bot options will help eligible taxpayers verify their identity to set up or modify a payment plan. Eligible taxpayers who call the Automated Collection System (ACS) and Accounts Management toll-free lines and want to discuss payment plan options can authenticate or verify their identities through a personal identification number (PIN) creation process. Taxpayers will need their most recent IRS bill and some basic personal information to complete the process.
The IRS has been using voice bots on numerous toll-free lines since January, enabling taxpayers with simple payment or notice questions to get what they need quickly and avoid waiting. To date, the voice bots have answered over 3 million calls.
In addition to the payment lines, voice bots help people who call the Economic Impact Payment (EIP) toll-free line with general procedural responses to frequently asked questions. The IRS also added voice bots for the Advance Child Tax Credit toll-free line in February to provide similar assistance to callers who need help reconciling the credits on their 2021 tax return.
Additional voice bot service enhancements are planned in 2022 that will allow authenticated individuals (taxpayers with established or newly created PINs) to receive their account and return transcripts, payment history and current balance owed.
The IRS reminds taxpayers about numerous other available self-service options and that they can always speak with an English- or Spanish-speaking IRS phone representative if needed.