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taxmap/pubs/p544-020.htm#en_us_publink1000148239

Chapter 5
How To Get Tax Help(p37)

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previous topic occurrence How To Get Tax Help next topic occurrence

You can get help with unresolved tax issues, order free publications and forms, ask tax questions, and get information from the IRS in several ways. By selecting the method that is best for you, you will have quick and easy access to tax help.
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Contacting your Taxpayer Advocate.(p37)


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The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is an independent organization within the IRS whose employees assist taxpayers who are experiencing economic harm, who are seeking help in resolving tax problems that have not been resolved through normal channels, or who believe that an IRS system or procedure is not working as it should. Here are seven things every taxpayer should know about TAS:
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Low income tax clinics (LITCs).(p37)		spacer

The Low Income Taxpayer Clinic program serves individuals who have a problem with the IRS and whose income is below a certain level. LITCs are independent from the IRS. Most LITCs can provide representation before the IRS or in court on audits, tax collection disputes, and other issues for free or a small fee. If an individual's native language is not English, some clinics can provide multilingual information about taxpayer rights and responsibilities. For more information, see Publication 4134, Low Income Taxpayer Clinic List. This publication is available at www.irs.gov, by calling 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676), or at your local IRS office.
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Free tax services.(p37)


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To find out what services are available, get Publication 910, IRS Guide to Free Tax Services. It contains a list of free tax information sources, including publications, services, and free tax education and assistance programs. It also has an index of 100 TeleTax topics (recorded tax information) you can listen to on your telephone.
Accessible versions of IRS published products are available on request in a variety of alternative formats for people with disabilities.
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Free help with your return.(p38)


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Free help in preparing your return is available nationwide from IRS-trained volunteers. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is designed to help low-income taxpayers and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program is designed to assist taxpayers age 60 and older with their tax returns. Many VITA sites offer free electronic filing and all volunteers will let you know about credits and deductions you may be entitled to claim. To find the nearest VITA or TCE site, call 1-800-829-1040.
As part of the TCE program, AARP offers the Tax-Aide counseling program. To find the nearest AARP Tax-Aide site, call 1-888-227-7669 or visit AARP's website at www.aarp.org/money/taxaide.
For more information on these programs, go to www.irs.gov and enter the keyword "VITA" in the upper right-hand corner.
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Internet. You can access the IRS website at www.irs.gov 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to:
  • E-file your return. Find out about commercial tax preparation and e-file services available free to eligible taxpayers.
  • Check the status of your 2009 refund. Go to www.irs.gov and click on Where's My Refund. Wait at least 72 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of your e-filed return, or 3 to 4 weeks after mailing a paper return. If you filed Form 8379 with your return, wait 14 weeks (11 weeks if you filed electronically). Have your 2009 tax return available so you can provide your social security number, your filing status, and the exact whole dollar amount of your refund.
  • Download forms, instructions, and publications.
  • Order IRS products online.
  • Research your tax questions online.
  • Search publications online by topic or keyword.
  • Use the online Internal Revenue Code, Regulations, or other official guidance.
  • View Internal Revenue Bulletins (IRBs) published in the last few years.
  • Figure your withholding allowances using our withholding calculator online at www.irs.gov/individuals.
  • Determine if Form 6251 must be filed by using our Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) assistant.
  • Sign up to receive local and national tax news by email.
  • Get information on starting and operating a small business.
Phone
Phone. Many services are available by phone.  
 
  • Ordering forms, instructions, and publications. Call 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676) to order current-year forms, instructions, and publications and prior-year forms and instructions. You should receive your order within 10 days.
  • Asking tax questions. Call the IRS with your tax questions at 1-800-829-1040.
  • Solving problems. You can get face-to-face help solving tax problems every business day in IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers. An employee can explain IRS letters, request adjustments to your account, or help you set up a payment plan. Call your local Taxpayer Assistance Center for an appointment. To find the number, go to www.irs.gov/localcontacts or look in the phone book under United States Government, Internal Revenue Service.
  • TTY/TDD equipment. If you have access to TTY/TDD equipment, call 1-800-829-4059 to ask tax questions or to order forms and publications.
  • TeleTax topics. Call 1-800-829-4477 to listen to pre-recorded messages covering various tax topics.
  • Refund information. To check the status of your 2009 refund, call 1-800-829-1954 during business hours or 1-800-829-4477 (automated refund information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). Wait at least 72 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of your e-filed return, or 3 to 4 weeks after mailing a paper return. If you filed Form 8379 with your return, wait 14 weeks (11 weeks if you filed electronically). Have your 2009 tax return available so you can provide your social security number, your filing status, and the exact whole dollar amount of your refund. Refunds are sent out weekly on Fridays. If you check the status of your refund and are not given the date it will be issued, please wait until the next week before checking back.
  • Other refund information.To check the status of a prior year refund or amended return refund, call 1-800-829-1954.
 
Evaluating the quality of our telephone services. To ensure that IRS representatives give accurate, courteous, and professional answers, we use several methods to evaluate the quality of our telephone services. One method is for a second IRS representative to sometimes listen in on or record telephone calls. Another is to ask some callers to complete a short survey at the end of the call.
Walk In
Walk-in. Many products and services are available on a walk-in basis. 
 
  • Products. You can walk in to many post offices, libraries, and IRS offices to pick up certain forms, instructions, and publications. Some IRS offices, libraries, grocery stores, copy centers, city and county government offices, credit unions, and office supply stores have a collection of products available to print from a CD or photocopy from reproducible proofs. Also, some IRS offices and libraries have the Internal Revenue Code, regulations, Internal Revenue Bulletins, and Cumulative Bulletins available for research purposes.
  • Services. You can walk in to your local Taxpayer Assistance Center every business day for personal, face-to-face tax help. An employee can explain IRS letters, request adjustments to your tax account, or help you set up a payment plan. If you need to resolve a tax problem, have questions about how the tax law applies to your individual tax return, or you are more comfortable talking with someone in person, visit your local Taxpayer Assistance Center where you can spread out your records and talk with an IRS representative face-to-face. No appointment is necessary—just walk in. If you prefer, you can call your local Center and leave a message requesting an appointment to resolve a tax account issue. A representative will call you back within 2 business days to schedule an in-person appointment at your convenience. If you have an ongoing, complex tax account problem or a special need, such as a disability, an appointment can be requested. All other issues will be handled without an appointment. To find the number of your local office, go to www.irs.gov/localcontacts or look in the phone book under United States Government, Internal Revenue Service.
Due date
Mail. You can send your order for forms, instructions, and publications to the address below and receive a response within 10 business days after your request is received.

Internal Revenue Service 
1201 N. Mitsubishi Motorway 
Bloomington, IL 61705-6613

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DVD for tax products.You can order Publication 1796, IRS Tax Products DVD, and obtain:
  • Current-year forms, instructions, and publications.
  • Prior-year forms, instructions, and publications.
  • Tax Map: an electronic research tool and finding aid.
  • Tax law frequently asked questions.
  • Tax Topics from the IRS telephone response system.
  • Internal Revenue Code—Title 26 of the U.S. Code.
  • Fill-in, print, and save features for most tax forms.
  • Internal Revenue Bulletins.
  • Toll-free and email technical support.
  • Two releases during the year. 
    – The first release will ship the beginning of January 2010. 
    – The final release will ship the beginning of March 2010.
Purchase the DVD from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) at www.irs.gov/cdorders for $30 (no handling fee) or call 1-877-233-6767 toll free to buy the DVD for $30 (plus a $6 handling fee).
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Tax Publications for Business Taxpayers See How To Get Tax Help for a variety of ways to get publications, including by computer, phone, and mail.

General Guides
1Your Rights as a Taxpayer
17Your Federal Income Tax (For Individuals)
334Tax Guide for Small Business (For Individuals Who Use Schedule C or C-EZ)
509Tax Calendars
910IRS Guide to Free Tax Services
Employer's Guides
15(Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide
15-AEmployer's Supplemental Tax Guide
15-BEmployer's Tax Guide to Fringe Benefits
51(Circular A), Agricultural Employer's Tax Guide
80(Circular SS), Federal Tax Guide For Employers in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
926Household Employer's Tax Guide
Specialized Publications
225Farmer's Tax Guide
463Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and Car Expenses
505Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax
510Excise Taxes (Including Fuel Tax Credits and Refunds)
515Withholding of Tax on Nonresident Aliens and Foreign Entities
517Social Security and Other Information for Members of the Clergy and Religious Workers
527Residential Rental Property
534Depreciating Property Placed in Service Before 1987
535Business Expenses
536Net Operating Losses (NOLs) for Individuals, Estates, and Trusts
537Installment Sales
538Accounting Periods and Methods
541Partnerships
542Corporations
544Sales and Other Dispositions of Assets
551Basis of Assets
556Examination of Returns, Appeal Rights, and Claims for Refund
560Retirement Plans for Small Business (SEP, SIMPLE, and Qualified Plans)
561Determining the Value of Donated Property
583Starting a Business and Keeping Records
587Business Use of Your Home (Including Use by Daycare Providers)
594What You Should Know About The IRS Collection Process
595Capital Construction Fund for Commercial Fishermen
597Information on the United States-Canada Income Tax Treaty
598Tax on Unrelated Business Income of Exempt Organizations
686Certification for Reduced Tax Rates in Tax Treaty Countries
901U.S. Tax Treaties
908Bankruptcy Tax Guide
925Passive Activity and At-Risk Rules
946How To Depreciate Property
947Practice Before the IRS and Power of Attorney
954Tax Incentives for Distressed Communities
1544Reporting Cash Payments of Over $10,000 (Received in a Trade or Business)
1546Taxpayer Advocate Service - Your Voice at the IRS
Spanish Language Publications
1SPDerechos del Contribuyente
179(Circular PR), Guía Contributiva Federal Para Patronos Puertorriqueños
579SPCómo Preparar la Declaración de Impuesto Federal
594SPQué es lo Debemos Saber Sobre El Proceso de Cobro del IRS
850English-Spanish Glossary of Words and Phrases Used in Publications Issued by the Internal Revenue Service
1544SPInforme de Pagos en Efectivo en Exceso de $10,000 (Recibidos en una Ocupación o Negocio)


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Commonly Used Tax Forms See How To Get Tax Help for a variety of ways to get forms, including by computer, phone, and mail.

Form Number and Form Title
W-2Wage and Tax Statement
W-4Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate
940Employer's Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return
941Employer's QUARTERLY Federal Tax Return
944Employer's ANNUAL Federal Tax Return
1040U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
 Sch. A & B Itemized Deductions & Interest and Ordinary  Dividends
 Sch. C Profit or Loss From Business
 Sch. C-EZ Net Profit From Business
 Sch. D Capital Gains and Losses
 Sch. D-1 Continuation Sheet for Schedule D
 Sch. E Supplemental Income and Loss
 Sch. F Profit or Loss From Farming
 Sch. H Household Employment Taxes
 Sch. J Income Averaging for Farmers and Fishermen
 Sch. R Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled
 Sch. SE Self-Employment Tax
1040-ESEstimated Tax for Individuals
1040XAmended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
1065U.S. Return of Partnership Income
 Sch. D Capital Gains and Losses
 Sch. K-1 Partner's Share of Income, Deductions, Credits, etc.
1120U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return
1120SU.S. Income Tax Return for an S Corporation
 Sch. D Capital Gains and Losses and Built-In Gains
 Sch. K-1 Shareholder's Share of Income, Deductions, Credits,  etc.
2106Employee Business Expenses
2106-EZUnreimbursed Employee Business Expenses
2210Underpayment of Estimated Tax by Individuals, Estates, and Trusts
2441Child and Dependent Care Expenses
2848Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative
3800General Business Credit
3903Moving Expenses
4562Depreciation and Amortization
4797Sales of Business Property
4868Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
5329Additional Taxes on Qualified Plans (Including IRAs) and Other Tax-Favored Accounts
6252Installment Sale Income
7004Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File Certain Business Income Tax, Information, and Other Returns
8283Noncash Charitable Contributions
8300Report of Cash Payments Over $10,000 Received in a Trade or Business
8582Passive Activity Loss Limitations
8606Nondeductible IRAs
8822Change of Address
8829Expenses for Business Use of Your Home


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