[Ohio-Talk] If you receive a letter from the IRS, don't panic: Accessible tax notices and publications

[Christopher Sabine]

Hello all.

I wanted to let you know that yesterday, I received a notice from the IRS regarding new services available to Blind tax filers. The letter is in print and Braille. The Braille version was dated October 1. According to this notice, the IRS is enabling Blind tax filers to request alternative format notices and letters from the IRS starting no later than January 31, 2022. The IRS is sending these letters to anyone who took the Blind Standard Deduction on their Form 1040 or Form 1040 SR within the past two years.

According to the Braille notice I received yesterday, anyone who would like to receive correspondences from the IRS in an alternative format can do one of the following:

  *   Complete IRS Form 9000, evidently available from the IRS web site, and submit it with their current year's tax return or complete it and mail it to the IRS
  *   Contact the IRS Customer Service Department by phone at (800) 829-1040 and indicate your preference for notices in alternative format.


Braille, electronic, audio, and large print formats are available.

Note that the Braille notice I received yesterday references a web site, http://www.irs.gov/accessible/, where filers can request Form 9000, which you complete if you would like to indicate an alternative format preference. However, this link is inactive as of this morning.

I'm posting this because members in other affiliates have been receiving these notices from the IRS, and this is not a SPAM. Nationally, several members in other Affiliates have had to reach out to the Federation after receiving inaccessible tax notices from the IRS in the past, so kudos to the Federation and our efforts that this service is being made available to Blind tax filers.

Very Best,

Chris