Tired of calling the California Franchise Tax Board and not getting a human being on the phone? You are not alone. Like many Californians, trying to contact a human live person on the phone is next to impossible. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, staff at the CFTB is limited. Lets go over some tips to help you get through a human person at the FTB.
Make sure you are calling the right number. To contact a human being at the FTB, the number to call is 800-852-5711. Their hours are Monday through Friday 8 AM to 5 PM - Avoid calling Monday mornings as there will be heavy traffic.
The best times to call is Wednesday and Thursday 2pm-3pm
When you call, be sure to have all your tax related information like your and all dependents Social Security Number. If you do not have this information, you have just wasted hours of wait time on the phone because the human agents will not be able to assist you without the Social Security Number.
You may feel frustrated with the waiting times, be patient. There are thousands of callers calling the FTB during their business hours, may of whom are corporations and they have better resources than your average citizen. Continue to hold and don't give up.