Document Actions
Obtaining U.S. Income Tax Forms, Publications, and Instructions
On the Internet
This is the fastest and most timely method to obtain tax products.
The following services are available on the IRS Forms and Publications page:
- Obtain answers to frequently asked tax questions.
- Search IRS publications by topic or keyword.
- Obtain tax forms, publications, and instructions for the current tax year and for prior years.
- Calculate your tax deductions with the IRS Withholding Calculator.
- Complete your tax forms online.
- Send comments and request help via e-mail.
- Sign up for IRS Tax Tips and other online subscription services to receive regular updates about federal taxation.
By Telephone
The IRS provides many tax services by telephone. You will not be charged for your call unless your local telephone company charges you for local calls. Hours of service vary, but the best times to call are usually before 9:00 a.m. and between 3:00 and 4:30 p.m.
Before You Call
You can help the IRS service representatives provide accurate, complete answers to your questions by having the following information available:
- The tax form, schedule, or notice to which your question relates.
- The facts about your particular situation. The answer to the same question often varies from one taxpayer to another because of differences in their age, income, whether they can be claimed as a dependent, etc.
- The name of any IRS publication or other source of information that you used to look for the answer.
To protect and maintain your individual account security, you may be asked for your Social Security Number (SSN), date of birth, or IRS Personal Identification Number (PIN) if you have one.
You will also need to provide :
- The amount of your refund
- The filing status shown on your tax return
- The caller ID number shown at the top of any notice you received
- The numbers in your street address, or your ZIP code
If you are asking for an installment agreement to pay your tax, you will be asked for the highest amount you can pay each month and the date on which you can pay it.
Making the Call
- IRS Forms and Publications: (800) 829-3676
- Request tax forms and instructions for current and prior years, as well as free publications on a variety of topics. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- IRS Tax Help Line for Individuals: (800) 829-1040
- Request assistance with filling out your tax form. Available in English and Spanish. Normal hours of operation are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time. (Alaska and Hawaii should follow Pacific Time.)
- IRS Refund Hotline: (800) 829-1954
- For refund information, have a copy of your current tax return, your social security number, filing status from the front of your Form 1040, and the exact whole dollar amount of your refund.
- IRS Taxpayer Advocate: (877) 777-4778
- This IRS program provides assistance for taxpayers whose tax problems have not been resolved through normal channels. The goals of the Taxpayer Advocate Service are to protect individual and business taxpayer rights and to reduce taxpayer burden.
- TeleTax Recorded Tax Information: (800) 829-4477
- Listen to recorded messages providing basic information on more than
100 tax topics. This Touch-Tone service is available 24 hours a day, 7
days a week. For a directory of topics, listen to topic number 123. You
may listen to as many topics as you like during your call. Have paper and
pencil handy to take notes.
TeleTax will also let you check the status of your income tax refund. You will need to provide the filing status you used on the return and the dollar amount of the expected refund. Automated refund information is generally available four to five weeks after you have filed your tax return. - IRS Business and Specialty Help Line: (800) 829-4933
- Business taxpayers that have questions relating to their entity can call the IRS for business and specialty help (in English and Spanish).
- Employer Identification Number: (800) 829-4933
- Call IRS to apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN).
- IRS TE/GE Customer Account Services: (877) 829-5500
- You may direct your technical and procedural questions concerning charities and other non-profit organizations to IRS Tax Exempt and Government Entities Customer Account Services. For taxpayers who need tax information or assistance relating to Tax Exempt or Government Entities, Tax Exempt Bonds, Employer/Employee Pension Plans, or Indian Tribal Agreements.
- Tax Help for US Taxpayers Residing in Canada: (215) 516-2000
- Call this number to clarify issues pertaining to Canadian and U.S. tax issues and tax treaties. You can also find much information on this topic online at the Canada/Canadian Issues tax page.
- Community Based Outlet Program: (916) 974-5833
- The IRS and local community organizations across the country are working together to increase the availability of federal tax forms, publications, and other tax products. Organizations that join the program will receive free tax products that provide tax information for employees or the public. IRS partners include corporations, copy centers and office supply stores, local governments, credit unions, and grocery stores and pharmacies.
- TTY/TDD Telephone Service: (800) 829-4059
- Available for the deaf and hearing-impaired who have access to a teletypewriter/telecommunications device for the deaf (TTY/TDD) equipment. Note: This number is answered only by TTY/TDD equipment.
Before You Hang Up
If you are speaking to an IRS representative, let the representative know if you do not fully understand the answer you receive, or if you feel the representative does not fully understand your question. The representative will be happy to take additional time to be sure he or she has answered your question fully.
By law, you are responsible for paying your fair share of federal income tax. Even if an IRS representative makes an error in answering your tax question, you are still required by law to pay the correct amount of tax. Should such an error occur, however, you will not be charged any penalty.
The IRS uses several methods to make sure that IRS representatives give accurate and courteous answers. One method is to record telephone calls (for quality assurance purposes only). A random sample of recorded calls is selected for review through the quality assurance process. Other methods include listening to live calls in progress and choosing a random selection of customers for participation in a Customer Satisfaction Survey. No record is kept of any taxpayer's identity.
In Person
Many of the most popular tax forms, instructions, and publications are available free of charge at the Denton Public Library, North Branch, at 3020 N. Locust.
A very limited number of the most popular tax forms and instructions are available in the UNT Government Documents Department on the Third Floor of Willis Library. The department also houses many IRS publications that can be checked out or used in the library.
You can pick up certain IRS products at many post offices, libraries, and IRS offices in your area.
Tax Advice
Library employees can neither give you tax advice nor help you complete your tax forms, but you can get free advice from the IRS by calling 1-800-829-1040, or by consulting the IRS Website.
Many of the most frequently asked tax questions are answered in two booklets published by the IRS: Your Federal Income Tax (IRS Publication 17) and Tax Guide for Small Business (IRS Publication 334). These booklets are on reserve at the Government Documents Service Desk in Willis Library.
Also available are the following specialized publications likely to be of interest to individuals in the university community:
- Publication 3 – Armed Forces’ Tax Guide
- Publication 519 – U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens
- Publication 526 – Charitable Contributions
- Publication 463 – Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and Car Expenses
- Publication 521 – Moving Expenses
- Publication 587 – Business Use of Your Home
- Publication 901 – U.S. Tax Treaties
- Publication 970 – Tax Benefits for Education
By Mail
You can order many of the current year’s tax forms and publications for delivery by U. S. mail by going to the IRS Forms and Publications by U.S. Mail Web page.
The search box on the page will perform a simple search of exactly what you have entered (ignoring upper and lower case differences). For example, if you wish to find Form 2441 – Child and Dependent Care Expenses, you could search for 2441, child, dependent, etc.
You may order up to 10 different products for delivery by U.S. mail. You will receive two copies of any form that you order and one copy of any publication. (If you need more than the quantity allowed with this service, please call 1-800-829-3676 to place your order.) Applicable instructions are automatically added to all forms orders, but are not available to order separately. When you have finished selecting items, you may proceed to checkout.
Please allow up to 15 days for processing and delivery.
Be aware that not all tax products are available through this Web page and that quantities are limited. If you cannot locate a tax product, or need a tax product from a prior year, visit the IRS Forms and Publications page to download products or call 1-800-829-3676 to place your order.