E-Paper
2026 filing season: IRS issues ‘spike’ warning ahead of Presidents Day, ‘Calls to IRS phone lines often…’
Ahead of Presidents Day, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has warned taxpayers of a surge in call center demand.
Ahead of Presidents Day, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has warned taxpayers of a surge in call center demand. This week has always been historically one of the busiest periods of the filing season.
Americans have been urged to utilize the online tools available to get the answers to questions if they want to avoid long waiting times amid the phone traffic that is expected next week.
The IRS’ advice
The IRS has said that taxpayers can find online tools covering refunds, amended returns, payments, notices, identity verification and in the Let Us Help You page on IRS.gov. This is available 24/7.
Taxpayers can view adjusted gross income and transcripts through an IRS Individual Online Account. They can also enroll in or retrieve an IP PIN, and make or cancel payments.
Read More | IRS alert: Warning issued for people claiming 2 specific tax credits – what to know
"With the 2026 filing season underway and increased call center demand around the Presidents Day holiday on Feb. 16, the Internal Revenue Service encourages taxpayers to visit Let Us Help You on IRS.gov and use online tools to get fast, convenient help without waiting on hold. Presidents Day week is historically one of the busiest periods of the filing season, when calls to IRS phone lines often spike. Many common tax questions and tasks can be handled online before, during, and after filing through IRS self-service tools available 24/7,” the IRS said.
The IRS has always stressed that filing electronically and selecting direct deposit is the fastest and safest way to receive a refund. Electronic payments are always less likely to be lost, stolen, altered, or delayed, when compared to paper checks.
Read More | US tax refund 2026: How can we check IRS refund status? Steps to monitor progress
The IRS also stressed that “the Interactive Tax Assistant provides answers to common tax questions, including filing status, taxable income, and credit eligibility,” and added that “taxpayers can track refunds using Where’s My Refund?, which provides refund status information within 24 hours after the IRS accepts an electronically filed, current-year return.”
The tax filing season this year is expected to be busier than last year’s. The IRS said when it announced the start of the tax season on January 26 that it expected to receive about 164 million individual income tax returns this year. Most taxpayers are expected to file electronically.
The agency said last year that it expected over 140 million individual tax year 2024 returns by the deadline of April 15.
