IRS expands multilingual products, offers relief to farmers and fishermen

The Internal Revenue Service has added more forms, publications and other information in Spanish Braille and other languages, as it continues to provide support to more taxpayers who don’t speak English. while also granting relief to farmers and fishermen on estimated tax penalties.

The IRS’s Alternative Media Center is converting IRS Form 1040, its main schedules and six publications to Spanish Braille and large print. The IRS offers a Languages webpage in 20 languages with basic tax information, such as how to check a refund status, pay taxes or file a federal tax return.

Among the options, 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 and the related instructions can be found online. Form 1040 Schedule LEP, in English and Spanish, with instructions 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 20 languages. Taxpayers can view and download various tax forms and publications, including Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax, in Spanish, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Korean, Russian and Vietnamese.

“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,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig in a statement. “This is another milestone in our ongoing efforts to expand our assistance to more people. I’m extremely proud of our employees’ significant efforts and strong desire to make a huge, positive difference in this area during the last several years, which has been assisted by our partners in the nation’s tax community. We are proud to continue focusing on this area.”

Rettig has been making a special effort during his tenure to widen the number of languages supported by the IRS.

Help for the sight-impaired

The IRS is also offering alternative media resources for blind, sight-impaired individuals. Taxpayers can download forms and instructions from the Accessible Forms and Publications page of IRS.gov or request copies by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).

Tax forms and publications can be found in different formats including, text only, Braille-ready files, browser-friendly HTML, accessible PDF and large print.

Taxpayers can fill out Form 9000, Alternative Media Preference, if they want to receive their IRS notice or letter in Braille, large print, audio and electronic formats. They can include the completed form with their tax return, mail it as a standalone form to the IRS or call 800-829-1040 to select their preferred format. Form 9000 is also available in Spanish Braille and large print.

Taxpayers who have already received a notice or letter in print format and prefer Braille, large print, audio or text, and don’t have an alternative media designation on file at the IRS can choose one of the options below to request their preference:

• Fax their notice with a cover sheet to the AMC at (855) 473-2006. The cover sheet should include their name, address, phone number and the desired format of the document;
• Mail their notice or letter with a note stating their preferred format to IRS Alternative Media Center 400 N. 8th St., Room G39 Richmond, VA 23219; or,
• Call the IRS Accessibility Helpline at (833) 690-0598 to get help with transcribing the information.

See the Information About the Alternative Media Center page for details.

Farmers and fishermen penalty relief

Separately, the IRS also issued Notice 2022-13 on Tuesday, providing a waiver of tax penalties under Section 6654 of the Tax Code for an underpayment of estimated income taxes by farmers and fishermen who qualify as described in the notice. Under the notice, the tax penalties are waived for farmers and fishermen who, by April 18, 2022, or, for those taxpayers who reside in Maine or Massachusetts, by April 19, 2022, file their 2021 federal income tax return and pay in full any tax reported that’s due on their returns.