Time Running Short to Get Tax Forms

WASHINGTON - With the filing deadline less than a month 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. They should obtain Form 4868 for details.

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 16.

IRS TaxFax -- at 703-368-9694 -- offers more than 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, many of IRS´s 400 local offices are open Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., through April 14. 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 tax forms. Libraries may also have reproducible forms for photocopying, along with a reference set of IRS tax information publications.

2001 Filing Season Statistics

Cumulative through the week ending 3/10/00 and 3/9/01

                     2000           2001      % Change
Individual Income Tax Returns:
Total Receipts    52,937,000     52,281,000     -1.2 
Total Processed   45,089,000     43,629,000     -3.2

E-filing Receipts:
TOTAL             25,115,000     27,479,000      9.4      
TeleFile (phone)   3,911,000      3,325,000    -15.0      
Computer          21,204,000     24,154,000     13.9 
Tax Professionals 18,404,000     20,309,000     10.4 
Self-prepared      2,800,000      3,845,000     37.3

Refunds Certified by the Martinsburg Computing Center:
Number            41,349,000      40,101,000    -3.0 
Amount of principal  $71.591 b.      $73.113 b.  2.1 
Average refund         $1731           $1823     5.3

Direct Deposit Refunds:
Number            20,098,000      22,376,000    11.3 
Amount               $43.707 b.      $49.514 b. 13.3 
Average                $2175           $2213     1.8

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