If you want to allow a friend, family member, or any other person you choose to discuss your 2001 tax return with the IRS, check the “Yes” box in the “Third Party Designee” area of your return. Also, enter the designee’s name, phone number, and any five numbers the designee chooses as his or her personal identification number (PIN). But if you want to allow the paid preparer who signed your return to discuss it with the IRS, just enter “Preparer” in the space for the designee’s name. You do not have to provide the other information requested.

If you check the “Yes” box, you, and your spouse if filing a joint return, are authorizing the IRS to call the designee to answer any questions that may arise during the processing of your return. You are also authorizing the designee to:

• Give the IRS any information that is missing from your return,
• Call the IRS for information about the processing of your return or the status of your refund or payment(s), and
• Respond to certain IRS notices that you have shared with the designee about math errors, offsets, and return preparation. The notices will not be sent to the designee.

You are not authorizing the designee to receive any refund check, bind you to anything (including any additional tax liability), or otherwise represent you before the IRS. If you want to expand the designee’s authorization, see Pub. 947.

The authorization cannot be revoked. However, the authorization will automatically end no later than the due date (without regard to extensions) for filing your 2002 tax return. This is April 15, 2003, for most people.

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