How To Get Tax Help
If you have questions about a tax
vides information on your re
Check or money order: Mail
and thousands of interactive
issue, need help preparing your tax
payments and account bal
your payment to the address
links to help you find answers
return, or want to download free
ance.
listed on the notice or instruc
to your questions. View it on
publications, forms, or instructions,
The
Sales Tax Deduction
tions.
line in HTML or as a PDF or,
go to IRS.gov and find resources
Calculator
(IRS.gov/salestax)
Cash: If cash is your only op
better yet, download it to your
that can help you right away.
figures the amount you can
tion, you may be able to pay
mobile device to enjoy eBook
claim if you itemize deduc
your taxes at a participating
features.
Preparing and filing your tax re
tions on Schedule A (Form
retail store.
You may also be able to ac
turn. Find free options to prepare
1040), choose not to claim
cess tax law information in
and file your return on IRS.gov or in
What if I can’t pay now? Go to
state and local income taxes,
your electronic filing software.
your local community if you qualify.
IRS.gov/payments
for more infor
and you didn’t save your re
mation about your options.
ceipts showing the sales tax
The Volunteer Income Tax As
Apply for an
online payment
you paid.
sistance (VITA) program offers free
Getting tax forms and publica
agreement
(IRS.gov/opa) to
tax help to people who generally
tions. Go to
IRS.gov/forms
to
Resolving taxrelated identity
meet your tax obligation in
make $54,000 or less, persons
view, download, or print all of the
theft issues.
monthly installments if you
with disabilities, the elderly, and
forms and publications you may
The IRS doesn’t initiate con
can’t pay your taxes in full to
limitedEnglishspeaking taxpayers
need. You can also download and
tact with taxpayers by email or
day. Once you complete the
who need help preparing their own
view popular tax publications and
telephone to request personal
online process, you will re
tax returns. The Tax Counseling for
instructions (including the 1040 in
or financial information. This
ceive immediate notification of
the Elderly (TCE) program offers
structions) on mobile devices as an
includes any type of electronic
whether your agreement has
free tax help for all taxpayers, par
eBook at no charge. Or, you can
communication, such as text
been approved.
ticularly those who are 60 years of
go to
IRS.gov/orderforms
to place
messages and social media
Use the
Offer in Compromise
age and older. TCE volunteers
an order and have forms mailed to
channels.
Pre-Qualifier
(IRS.gov/oic) to
specialize in answering questions
you within 10 business days.
Go to
IRS.gov/idprotection
for
see if you can settle your tax
about pensions and retirementre
information and videos.
debt for less than the full
lated issues unique to seniors.
Using direct deposit. The fastest
If your SSN has been lost or
amount you owe.
You can go to IRS.gov and click
way to receive a tax refund is to
stolen or you suspect you are
on the Filing tab to see your op
combine direct deposit and IRS
Checking the status of an amen
a victim of taxrelated identity
tions for preparing and filing your
e-file. Direct deposit securely and
ded return. Go to IRS.gov and
theft, visit
IRS.gov/id
to learn
return which include the following.
electronically transfers your refund
click on
Where’s My Amended
what steps you should take.
Free File. Go to
IRS.gov/
directly into your financial account.
Return?
(IRS.gov/wmar) under the
freefile. See if you qualify to
Eight in 10 taxpayers use direct de
Checking on the status of your
“Tools” bar to track the status of
use brandname software to
posit to receive their refund. IRS is
refund.
Form 1040X amended returns.
prepare and e-file your federal
sues more than 90% of refunds in
Go to IRS.gov/refunds.
Please note that it can take up to 3
tax return for free.
less than 21 days.
Download the official IRS2Go
weeks from the date you mailed
VITA. Go to IRS.gov/vita,
app to your mobile device to
your amended return for it show up
Getting a transcript or copy of a
download the free IRS2Go
check your refund status.
in our system and processing it can
return. The quickest way to get a
app, or call 18009069887 to
Call the automated refund hot
take up to 16 weeks.
copy of your tax transcript is to go
find the nearest VITA location
line at 18008291954.
to IRS.gov/transcripts. Click on ei
for free tax preparation.
Understanding an IRS notice or
ther "Get Transcript Online" or "Get
TCE. Go to IRS.gov/tce,
Making a tax payment. The IRS
letter. Go to
IRS.gov/notices
to
Transcript by Mail" to order a copy
download the free IRS2Go
uses the latest encryption technol
find additional information about
of your transcript. If you prefer, you
app, or call 18882277669 to
ogy to ensure your electronic pay
responding to an IRS notice or let
can:
find the nearest TCE location
ments are safe and secure. You
ter.
Order your transcript by call
for free tax preparation.
can make electronic payments on
ing 18009089946.
Contacting your local IRS office.
line, by phone, and from a mobile
Getting answers to your
Mail Form 4506T or Form
Keep in mind, many questions can
device using the IRS2Go app. Pay
tax law questions. On
4506TEZ (both available on
be resolved on IRS.gov without vis
ing electronically is quick, easy,
IRS.gov get answers to
IRS.gov).
iting an IRS Tax Assistance Center
and faster than mailing in a check
your tax questions anytime, any
(TAC). Go to
IRS.gov/letushelp
for
or money order. Go to
IRS.gov/
Using online tools to help pre
where.
the topics people ask about most.
payments
to make a payment us
pare your return. Go to
IRS.gov/
Go to
IRS.gov/help
or
If you still need help, IRS TACs
ing any of the following options.
tools
for the following.
IRS.gov/letushelp
pages for a
provide tax help when a tax issue
IRS Direct
Pay: Pay your indi
The
Earned Income Tax
variety of tools that will help
can’t be handled online or by
vidual tax bill or estimated tax
Credit Assistant
(IRS.gov/eic)
you get answers to some of
phone. All TACs now provide serv
payment directly from your
determines if you are eligible
the most common tax ques
ice by appointment so you’ll know
checking or savings account
for the EIC.
tions.
in advance that you can get the
at no cost to you.
The
Online EIN Application
Go to
IRS.gov/ita
for the Inter
service you need without waiting.
Debit or credit card: Choose
(IRS.gov/ein) helps you get an
active Tax Assistant, a tool
Before you visit, go to
IRS.gov/
an approved payment pro
employer identification num
that will ask you questions on
taclocator
to find the nearest TAC,
cessor to pay online, by
ber.
a number of tax law topics
check hours, available services,
phone, and by mobile device.
The
IRS Withholding
and provide answers. You can
and appointment options. Or, on
Electronic Funds With
Calculator
(IRS.gov/w4app)
print the entire interview and
the IRS2Go app, under the Stay
drawal: Offered only when fil
estimates the amount you
the final response for your re
Connected tab, choose the Con
ing your federal taxes using
should have withheld from
cords.
tact Us option and click on “Local
tax preparation software or
your paycheck for federal in
Go to
IRS.gov/pub17
to get
Offices.”
through a tax professional.
come tax purposes.
Pub. 17, Your Federal Income
Electronic Federal Tax Pay
The
First Time Homebuyer
Tax for Individuals, which fea
Watching IRS videos. The IRS
ment System: Best option for
Credit Account Look-up
tures details on taxsaving op
Video portal (IRSvideos.gov) con
businesses. Enrollment is re
(IRS.gov/homebuyer) tool pro
portunities, 2016 tax changes,
tains
video
and
audio
quired.
Page 32
Publication 938 (May 2017 )