Can I call the IRS to confirm its receipt of my 83(b) election?

If you are missing the typical evidence for your 83(b) election, you may want to try and confirm that the IRS received your 83(b) election form.

You can attempt to get confirmation by calling the IRS. It can be difficult to reach an IRS representative by phone, but our customers have reported occasional success. If you do reach an IRS representative, they may be able to provide verbal confirmation that your 83(b) election form was received. We’ve also heard anecdotes that some taxpayers have been able to get written confirmation sent to them by the IRS. Whether you are able to receive verbal or written confirmation may depend on the IRS representative that handles your call.

The steps below outline how to navigate the IRS phone system to reach the appropriate representative. You may need to complete these steps more than once if you are disconnected due to high call volume.

1

Call the IRS at 800-829-1040.

2

Select option 1: "To continue in English".

3

Select option 2: "For answers about your personal income taxes".

4

Select option 1: "For questions about a form you have already submitted".

5

Select option 3: "For all other questions about your tax history or payment".

6

Select option 2: "For all other questions about your tax history or payment".

7

Enter your social security number.

8

Select option 1 to confirm you entered a social security number.

9

If your social security number is repeated back correctly, select option 1 to confirm.

10

Do not choose any of the topics offered. Instead, continue holding to indicate that you have not heard your topic. This should result in your call joining the queue to speak with an IRS representative.

11

If the call volume allows your call to be queued to speak with an IRS representative, you may hear a wait time estimate. If your call cannot be queued to speak with an IRS representative, you may be asked to call back later.