Time Running Short to Get Tax forms

WASHINGTON - With the filing deadline a little more than three weeks away, people needing tax forms should act soon to request them, the Internal Revenue Service advised. The IRS has forms available by computer, fax, or mail, as well as at its local offices. Taxpayers should especially check to see if they’ll need items that are not in the standard tax packages.

For example, those claiming tax credits for college tuition and related expenses use Form 8863, "Education Credits." The Hope Credit is for students in the first two years of college. The Lifetime Learning Credit applies to any level of post-secondary education. The education credits are not available to taxpayers whose income is more than $50,000 ($100,000 on a joint return).

Taxpayers with more than two children cannot claim the full $500 per child tax credit if the credit would exceed their tax. But they may qualify for the "Additional Child Tax Credit," and would need to complete Form 8812. The child tax credit worksheet in the instruction booklet indicates whether this additional credit may apply. Taxpayers looking for extra time to file must request it by the regular deadline. This year, they may either use Form 4868 or make an extension-related payment by credit card by calling (toll-free) 1-888-2PAY-TAX (1-888-272-9829). The IRS Web site -- www.irs.gov -- has forms and publications for downloading. The IRS forms line -- 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676) -- is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week until April 17.

IRS TaxFax -- at 703-368-9694 -- offers 100 forms and their instructions by return fax. Users may find the order numbers in the tax instruction booklet, or may have the system fax a list of available items.

In addition to regular weekday hours, more than 270 of IRS’s 400 local offices are open Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., through April 15. Taxpayers may pick up forms or publications, or meet with IRS assistors. They may call the toll-free, 24-hour help line at 1-800-829-1040 to find the nearest IRS office. Many banks, post offices and public libraries also stock some of the common taxforms. Libraries may also have reproducible forms for photocopying, along with a reference set of IRS tax information publications.

2000 FILING SEASON STATISTICS
Cumulative through the week ending 3/19/99 and 3/17/00
1999-2000
Individual Income Tax Returns
Total Receipts             57,285,000    58,701,000    2.5
Total Processed            47,626,000    51,728,000    8.6

E-filing Receipts:

TOTAL                      22,861,000    26,625,000   16.5
TeleFile (phone)            4,525,000     4,083,000  - 9.8
Computer                   18,336,000    22,542,000   22.9
Tax Professionals          16,769,000    19,483,000   16.2
Self-prepared               1,567,000     3,059,000   95.2

Refunds Certified by the Martinsburg Computing Center:

Number                     43,639,000    47,299,000    8.4
Amount of principal       $70.223 bil.  $80.632 bil.  14.8
Average refund              $1609         $1705        5.9
Direct Deposit Refunds:
Number                     17,818,000    21,523,000   20.8
Amount                    $37.264 bil.  $46.398 bil.  24.5