AuthorEnrolled Agent with experience in all things tax and accounting. Archives
January 2022
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Intro
So, you’ve decided that this year, you’re going to prepare your tax return 100% off the grid, no computer what-so ever, but realized in the process that you don’t know how to now that computers have become a part of our everyday lives. Well fright no more, print out a copy of this post, turn off your computer and prepare to be amazed as together we will accomplish a task without using a single microprocessor.
Required Tools Needed
With your phone in one hand and your index finger extended with the other you're going to want to call the IRS at this number: 1-800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676) They are open Monday through Friday 7:00 am to 10:00 pm local time, except Alaska and Hawaii which follow Pacific time. The people who work at this line do not work for the IRS, they are contracted by a third-party company, nor do they use your information for any reason other than to send you tax forms to my knowledge. That is to say, if you owe taxes, the person on the other end has no way of knowing this, so you won't be hassled about making a payment. With that said, I don't know what information the IRS will use from the phone call. For example, if when you give your name and address, will the IRS use that to update your address in their system? I highly doubt this, as again, it's a private third-party collecting information on their behalf so I don't see the IRS trusting them with any kind of data collection, but if you're extra paranoid about it you can always use a fake name and/or a third-party mailbox like a PO box or something similar. Choosing the correct forms to order For this tutorial, we are preparing one of the simplest US tax returns. The situation is: A single (unmarried) person whose only income was from their job as an employee. This individual will be receiving a Form W-2 at the beginning of the year for the previous calendar year from their employer, usually either mailed to them or in their employee portal or both. Based on the criteria of the situation we will only be needing Form 1040 to file the tax return so that's what we need to order from the IRS. Now if your situation is different than the one in this tutorial then other tax forms might be needed and it's important not to miss any forms or the IRS might request that you fix it, so contact us if you are unsure what forms you will need based on your specific situation. Ordering the forms by phone Once you make the call at the number above, the customer service representative will ask you what forms you would like to order and how many you would like of each form. We will be ordering:
Getting forms without a phone
State Taxes Additionally, most states have requirements for filing their own separate tax returns that will be a requirement if you earn over a certain amount of income so make sure you follow their specific instructions for this step as it will not be covered in this tutorial or contact us anytime for assistance. Preparing the Form Once your forms arrive in the mail, which should be about 10 days later based on the IRS's instructions, you'll want to fill out the Form 1040. The forms vary a little from year to year, so contact us if you need assistance with a different tax year, but for 2020 it should go like this:
If you live in the following state... Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin: ...and you ARE NOT enclosing a payment use this address: Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Kansas City, MO 64999-0002 ...and you ARE enclosing a payment use this address: Internal Revenue Service P.O. Box 931000 Louisville, KY 40293-1000 Connecticut, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia: ...and you ARE NOT enclosing a payment use this address: Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Ogden, UT 84201-0002 ...and you ARE enclosing a payment use this address: Internal Revenue Service P. O. Box 931000 Louisville, KY 40293-1000 Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas: ...and you ARE NOT enclosing a payment use this address: Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Austin, TX 73301-0002 ...and you ARE enclosing a payment use this address: Internal Revenue Service P.O. Box 1214 Charlotte, NC 28201-1214 Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee: ...and you ARE NOT enclosing a payment use this address: Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Kansas City, MO 64999-0002 ...and you ARE enclosing a payment use this address: Internal Revenue Service P O Box 1214 Charlotte, NC 28201-1214 Alaska, California, Hawaii, Ohio, Washington: ...and you ARE NOT enclosing a payment use this address: Department of Treasury Internal Revenue Service Ogden, UT 84201-0002 ...and you ARE enclosing a payment use this address: Internal Revenue Service P.O. Box 802501 Cincinnati, OH 45280-2501 Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming: ...and you ARE NOT enclosing a payment use this address: Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Ogden, UT 84201-0002 ...and you ARE enclosing a payment use this address: Internal Revenue Service P O Box 802501 Cincinnati, OH 45280-2501 Sources: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/ways-to-obtain-irs-forms-and-publications https://www.irs.gov/filing/where-to-file-addresses-for-taxpayers-and-tax-professionals-filing-form-1040
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