How to Find Tax Forms

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No tax forms? No worries. You can find them at several locations—or even get them without leaving the comfort of your home.

Step 1: Download federal forms
The simplest way to get federal tax forms is to download them from www.irs.gov. You will need a printer and an application that can open PDF files, like Preview (on a Mac) or Adobe Reader (available at www.adobe.com).

Step 2: Download state forms
For state tax forms, visit the website of your state tax office.

Step 3: Pick up forms
If you’d prefer to pick up your forms, head to your local library or post office, which begins stocking tax forms shortly after the new year.

Tip
Most libraries also have books corresponding to each tax year with all available forms—just locate yours and photocopy.

Step 4: Go to your local tax office
If you need an obscure form, stop by an IRS or state tax office.

Tip
Save yourself grief by remembering to pick up instructions along with the forms.

Step 5: Pay a professional
If you plan to pay someone to do your taxes, don’t worry about the forms—he or she will have them.

Did You Know?
Each year the IRS mails some eight billion pages of forms and instructions. Connected into one long form, it would stretch 28 times around the earth.