Can't set up payment plan...deadline approaches!
TLDR - 2021 payment plan was cancelled because I missed one payment, 2024/25 taxes aren't done yet so I can't set up a new plan online. Calling is a total CF, and I have to be helped by the "Federal Employee Line" which I can't get to in any way. No way to set up a plan, deadline is May 27...can't get returns done by then.
I ended up owing a lot of taxes on my 2021 return I wasn't expecting, so I had set up a payment plan to pay those...no big deal. Because of delayed payroll from my current employer, I missed a payment so the plan was cancelled.
I'm trying to get the payment plan restarted, but I can't do it online because I haven't filed the 2024/25 returns yet. My wife and I have several businesses, I do it all myself and it's pretty overwhelming. I just amended the 2023 return and I'm working on 2024 now, but the notice says they will start a lein on May 27. No way I will have 24 and 25 done by then. I'm sure everyone will say...well duh just do your returns. Well, great yeah that was totally the plan but I didn't get the notice until May 7th (mailed on April 27th and we were out of town until May 7). So in emergency mode, I can probably get the returns done by the end of June...but there's no way I can finish them in 2 weeks. I mean I was already working on them, but I didn't realize that there was some invisible deadline waiting that was very very close.
So I call the phone number, and all day I get "we can't help you our lines are too full" or something to that effect. So I set an alarm and I called at 6:59am this morning. First call they said they weren't open, second call immediately after they are open and I get in the queue. So the queue is 20 - 30 minutes they say...at literally 07:00:15am!!!! I wait about 25 minutes, so at least their prediction was accurate, and the rep says I have to go to the "Federal Employee Line" because I served in the military (I retried in 2012...not like I'm a current employee or something...).
SO THEN GET THIS, that line doesn't open until 8am! He says there is no direct phone number to call that line, that I have to call the main line and get transferred. So...I'm really left with no choice but to hang up. So I hang up and immediately call back, and I get the "lines are too full, GFY, goodbye" message.
So I'm totally stuck here. I can't do it online, I can't call the line I need to get to because it's either too early and they can't transfer me yet or it's too late and the queue is completely full.
So do I just patiently wait for whatever terrible thing happens when they put a lien on you (I dunno what this is payroll, property, what...)