IRS offering Saturday walk-in help this tax season

WASHINGTON (AP) — The IRS will begin offering taxpayers limited Saturday walk-in help this tax season.

Thirty-five tax assistance centers around the country will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 pm. on the second Saturday of the next four months, the agency said Friday. This comes after the IRS nixed walk-in visits during the pandemic, and limited service to appointments only.

Beginning Feb. 12, taxpayers will be able to have their questions answered in person at centers in locations including Birmingham, Alabama; Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Seattle. Other Saturday sessions will be offered on March 12, April 9 and May 14.

The effort is meant to help taxpayers who need face-to-face assistance, said Sue Simon, a director of customer assistance at the IRS who will also serve as a Saturday volunteer. She said people who don’t traditionally file taxes may need help claiming credits including Child Tax Credit payments.

People visiting the IRS should bring photo IDs, social security cards for all household members and any IRS letters or notices.

The agency announced earlier this week that it is reassigning 1,200 workers to help process tax returns. The agency has been struggling to administer pandemic programs with historically low staffing levels while processing multiple seasons’ tax returns.

During the 2020 budget year, the IRS processed more than 240 million tax returns and issued roughly $736 billion in refunds, including $268 billion in stimulus payments, according to the latest IRS data. In that same time frame, some 59 million people called or visited an IRS office.