IRS won’t mail forms

February 8, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

By Karl Henkel

YOUNGSTOWN

Already a week into February, some people may have noticed their tax forms still haven’t arrived in the mail.

They won’t be coming anytime soon, either.

That’s because this year, the Internal Revenue Service has decided not to mail out tax booklets, which normally come with instructions and corresponding forms, instead pushing citizens toward filing taxes online.

It’s not too much of a change, however, as only 8 percent of filers received the packets in 2010. Those who filed paper returns last year should have received a postcard in October explaining how they could obtain the paper forms in 2011, according to the IRS’ website.

One option listed on the postcard is to visit a local library.

Janet Loew, the communications and public-relations director at the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County, said those wishing to file the paper forms can pick up copies at the main library, 305 Wick Ave., Youngstown, or at any of the 15 branches.

She said many more people have visited to pick up the forms this year.

“We have most of the forms, like the 1040 — the things people are going to be looking for,” Loew said, adding that some forms, if copies are unavailable, can be copied for 10 cents per page.

“We don’t have all the forms, but most of the forms people are looking for,” she said.

The libraries do not have regular 1040 tax booklets yet — the libraries just have the 1040 forms — but Loew said she expects libraries to have copies by Monday.

“If they come in now, we’re telling our patrons to get them from the IRS downtown,” Loew said, referring to the booklets. The IRS office is located at the Judge Nathaniel R. Jones Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, 10 E. Commerce St.

The libraries are offering free tax preparation and online filing for seniors and low-to-moderate income families. Schedules are available on the library website, libraryvisit.org.

Despite the IRS’ forewarning of the change, the office of U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, has heard from some angry citizens.

“Our office has received several phone calls from constituents who are dissatisfied that they have not received their IRS forms via mail,” Ryan’s communications director Heather McMahon said in an e-mail. “We are concerned about the lack of access and outreach regarding this issue and have conveyed those concerns to liaisons at the Department of the Treasury’s Internal Revenue Service.”

McMahon said the office is directing constituents to call 800-829-3676 if they want to receive paper tax forms by mail.