Last month National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. Collins released her annual report to Congress detailing IRS activities in 2021. The big takeaway is that if you think you can call the IRS and get help with your 1099 filing questions, then think again.

According to the report customer service representatives (CSRs) only answered 11 percent of those calls coming in seeking help with caller's filing questions. As a result, most callers could not obtain answers to their tax law questions, get help with account problems, or speak with a CSR about IRS notices received. “Among the lucky one in nine callers who was able to reach a CSR, the IRS reported that hold times averaged 23 minutes,” the report says. “Practitioners and taxpayers have reported that hold times were often much longer, and frustration and dissatisfaction was high throughout the year with the low level of phone service.”

If that isn't bad enough, note that the IRS is devoting far fewer resources to training new hires than the level of even five or six years ago. That means if you even do get through to a CSR, the odds of them being able to provide you with 1099 guidance that is actually helpful to your particular facts and circumstances is next to non-existent. 

Though the IRS is not offering meaningful help - we are. We not only answer all of our subscribers 1099 questions in two business days or less (providing written answers from actual tax attorneys that you can also use to help show reasonable cause), but we do something as well. We educate our subscribers. We do this via providing access to thousands of questions previously answered, hundreds of articles and tax tips, as well as attendance for all of our subscribers at educational webinars (where you can also earn 2.0-3.0 CPE credits from our NASBA certified CPE providers). And we do it all for as low as $49 per month.

The best thing we do is help you get smarter. Not only will you be able to handle more issues as you learn, but you can rely on us to assist you not only when you just want an answer but also in solving the really tough curve balls ever-changing federal due diligence and filing regulations throw at you!