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IRS to Expand Multilingual Services

 

The IRS has recently taken the steps to add more forms and publications in different languages. Multiple publications are now being offered in Braille and Spanish and are meant to provide support to filers who do not speak or read in English.

The Alternative Media Center of the IRS is currently converting form 1040, and other main schedules to Spanish, Braille, and large print. Form 1040 can now be found online written in Spanish, as well as related filing instructions for the form. Taking it a step further, the IRS also offers a help page that is in 7 different languages.

According to IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig, “It’s critical that the IRS provides information to people in multiple languages and formats to help them meet their tax responsibilities and receive important tax credits,” Rettig also said the IRS and its employees have been working diligently at this task for the last several years, and that this is a big milestone in the IRS’ effort improve taxpayers experiences.

Here are some of the newest resources being offered by the IRS:

Multilingual Resources

 

  • IRS Free File offers eight free electronic tax preparation and filing options in English and two in Spanish.
  • The Let Us Help You page is available in seven languages.
  • A Spanish language version of Form 1040 PDF and the related instructions PDF are also available.
  • Form 1040 Schedule LEP(Limited English Proficient), in English PDF and Spanish PDF, with instructions PDF available in English and 20 other languages, can be filed with a tax return by those taxpayers who prefer to communicate with the IRS in another language.
  • The Taxpayer Bill of Rights, outlined in Publication 1, Your Rights as a Taxpayer, is available in twenty languages.
  • Taxpayers can view and download several tax forms and publications, such as Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax, in Spanish, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Korean, Russian and Vietnamese.

Resources for Sight-Impaired Individuals

 

  • Text-only,
  • Braille ready files,
  • Browser-friendly HTML (Available on all Search Engines)
  • Large print.

Wrap Up

 

The IRS is making efforts to improve its service towards specific groups of taxpayers who may have been neglected in the past.  FAQs and other resources coming from the IRS have seen great improvement over the past two years. This will give some boost to the Taxpayer Experience Office, but will not help the IRS work any quicker this season to clear the built-up work in front of them.

Questions? Comments? Give us a call at 516-541-6549.

 
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