[OPLINLIST] FW: IRS Tax Forms Outlet Program (TFOP) Filing Season Update

Fri Jan 16 10:14:50 EST 2015

Dear OPLINLISTers,

I posed a question yesterday about the set of IRS Reproducible Forms.  From some of the answers I received, it became clear to me that not everyone is aware of the recent IRS decision to no longer provide most of what the IRS has sent to public libraries for tax season.  This decision was necessary because of a $300+ million cut to their appropriations.  Additionally, I've been told that the IRS reported an actual use of only 9% of the paper copies of the forms, instructions, etc.

Below you will see the e-mail that our tax form coordinator here at ASCPL received.  As you will read, the IRS will be sending out only the three 1040 forms: 1040, 1040-A, and 1040-EZ.  This means public libraries will receive NO instruction booklets, NO publications, and NO other forms for distribution to the public.

The American Library Association is aware of this announcement from the IRS.  If you are planning to attend the Midwinter Conference, you may want to attend a session on Sunday, February 1 from 11:30 to 12:30  at the McCormick Place West convention center, Room W187c.  The ALA Washington Office maintains a relationship with the IRS, mainly through the Tax Form Outlet Program (TFOP).  The new Director of Distribution, Trish Evans, agreed to come to Midwinter prior to the passing of the CROmnibus, which cut the Publications budget by $300 million.  In response to complaints from participants in the TFOP, Ms. Evans agreed to send out additional 1040EZ forms to libraries and to send one copy of the Instructions Publication.

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news if you did not already know about this.  But, please remember I'm only the messenger!

Good luck and stay strong - less than 100 days until April 15.

Pam H-S

Pamela J. Hickson-Stevenson, Ohio Chapter Councilor to ALA and
Deputy Director
Akron-Summit County Public Library
60 S. High Street
Akron, OH   44326

(v) 330-643-9102
(f ) 330-643-9160
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Visit us on the Web at http://www.akronlibrary.org<http://www.akronlibrary.org/>
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The Akron-Summit County Public Library provides resources for learning and leisure, information services, meeting spaces, and programs for all ages that support, improve, and enrich individual, family, and community life.

From: wi.tfop.administrator at irs.gov<mailto:wi.tfop.administrator at irs.gov> [mailto:wi.tfop.administrator at irs.gov]
Sent: Friday, January 09, 2015 4:23 PM
Subject: IRS Tax Forms Outlet Program (TFOP) Filing Season Update

TFOP Filing Season Update

While we had committed to waiting until next year to making changes to the Tax Forms Outlet Program, the situation has changed.  As you may be aware, IRS appropriations were significantly cut in the 2015 Omnibus Appropriations bill recently passed by Congress.  Unfortunately this puts us in a position where we have very few options.  We want to honor our commitment to you by providing some key products, but we cannot deliver nearly what we have in the past.

For this filing season, we will offer the following products:

  *   Forms 1040, 1040A and 1040EZ
  *   Publication 17, one reference copy for each participant (Taxpayers will be able to access Publication 17 in English and Spanish online from irs.gov/Pub17 and, new this year, it will also be available as a free e-Pub for downloading from IRS.gov and viewing on most e-Readers and other mobile devices.)
  *   Publication 4604 (EN/SP), Use the Web for IRS Tax Products & Information
  *   Publication 1132, Reproducible Copies of Federal Tax Forms and Instructions
  *   The TFOP Poster Package which includes:

o  Publication 1169, Need Tax Help?

o  Publication 1258, Where Should I Send This?

o  Publication 1309, Tax Forms This Way Publication

o  Publication 1725, If The Form Fits...Use It!

No additional products will be available through the TFOP Program. We will not be sending Form 8635-S, Supplement to Form 8635.

We will fill orders for Forms 1040 and 1040A with the quantities you requested on your order form earlier this year.  Because Form 1040EZ was not on this year's order form, we will send you 75% of your Form 1040 A order quantity. For example, if you ordered 3000 Form 1040 A, we will send you 2250 Form 1040EZ.  It is not necessary for you to place an order for Form 1040EZ; we will automatically ship Form 1040EZ to you once the form becomes available.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer Instructions for Forms 1040, 1040A and 1040EZ. Your patrons can obtain copies of Instructions through:

  *   IRS.gov/Forms<http://www.irs.gov/Forms-&-Pubs> - to view and download
  *   IRS.gov/orderforms<http://www.irs.gov/orderforms> - to order tax products to be delivered by mail
  *   1-800-829-3676 - to order tax products to be delivered by mail
The decision to reduce the number of tax products available to our TFOP partners was not made lightly.  We realize this decision is not ideal and we understand it may impact you and your customers. Please offer Publication 4604 (EN/SP) to your patrons to help guide them to tax products and information available on IRS.gov. We apologize for these late program changes.

Thank you for your support,
IRS TFOP Administrator
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