The Internal Revenue Service today announced expanded voice bot options to help eligible
taxpayers easily verify their identity to set up or modify a payment plan while avoiding long wait
times.
“This is part of a wider effort at the IRS to help improve the experience of taxpayers,” said IRS
Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “We continue to look for ways to better assist taxpayers, and that
includes helping people avoid waiting on hold or having to make a second phone call to get what
they need. The expanded voice bots are another example of how technology can help the IRS
provide better service to taxpayers.”
Voice bots run on software powered by artificial intelligence, which enables a caller to navigate an
interactive voice response. 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. Taxpayers can always speak with an English- or Spanish-speaking IRS
telephone representative if needed.
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. Setting up a PIN is easy:
Taxpayers will need their most recent IRS bill and some basic personal information to complete
the process.
“To date, the voice bots have answered over 3 million calls. As we add more functions for
taxpayers to resolve their issues, I anticipate many more taxpayers getting the service they need
quickly and easily,” said Darren Guillot, IRS Deputy Commissioner of Small Business/Self Employed
Collection & Operations Support.
Additional voice bot service enhancements are planned in 2022 that will allow authenticated
individuals (taxpayers with established or newly created PINs) to get:
Account and return transcripts.
Payment history.
Current balance owed.
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.
The IRS also reminds taxpayers about numerous other available self-service options.
