Taxes & Tax Forms

• Federal and state income tax forms
• Internal Revenue Service
• California Franchise Tax Board
• Taxpayer Assistance Programs
• Tax Forms for Other States

Taxes & Tax Forms Federal and state income tax forms and instructions for the current year are available in most branch libraries beginning in January. Tax forms for prior years are also available in many branches. The IRS and the California Franchise Tax Board supply libraries with binders from which the forms can be photocopied. The Fremont libraries (Fremont Main, Centerville, Irvington and Niles) and the Newark branch are no longer able to carry tax forms to pick up. These libraries will continue to have the binders of paper forms from which copies may be made.

  • New Online Help Tools for 2009 Tax Filers
  • IRS web site
  • Current Year Forms and Publications
  • Prior Years Forms and Publications

  • To order tax forms: 1-800-829-3676
  • For Live Help: 1-800-829-1040; select option 3
  • For Live Help (TTY connection): 1-800-829-4059
  • Recorded Tax Help: 1-800-829-4477
  • Business Tax Line: 1-800-829-4933

IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers:

These local offices of the IRS provide forms and assistance.

  Oakland Office
  1301 Clay St.
  Oakland, CA 94612
  510-637-2487
  M-F, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

  San Jose Office
  55 S. Market St.
  San Jose, CA 95113
  408-817-6747
  M-F, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

The IRS has added additional filing addresses this year depending on the form used. See Where to File for mailing addresses for your tax return.

  • State Tax Forms, Instructions and Publications

• Automated Phone Service: 1-800-338-0505
  (Order California or federal tax forms, Homeowner and Renter Assistance claim forms, and hear recorded answers to tax questions)
• For Live Help: 1-800-852-5711, select option 5 (after you select language)
• For Live Help (TDD connection): 1-800-822-6268

The Franchise Tax Board will also answer tax law questions via email

Warning: Do not include any confidential information, such as your Social Security Number, in your message.

Franchise Tax Board Field Offices
Oakland Taxpayer Service Center (full service)
1515 Clay Street, Suite 305
Oakland, CA 94612
Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. No phone service; walk-in only.

To find the address for filing your return see Franchise Tax Board Return Mailing Addresses.

Also you can file your return electronically using the Franchise Tax Board's e-Services.

IRS-trained volunteers with the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program provide help in filling out tax forms to seniors and other low income persons whose household income in 2007 was less than $42,000. For VITA Taxpayer Assistance Center locations in Alameda County, visit the Franchise Tax Board's search site, which allows you to find VITA locations by city name and Zip Code.

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) also provides assistance from IRS-trained volunteers to persons of middle or low income with special attention to those 60 years old and over. Further information is available at the AARP web site.

United Way of the Bay Area has listings of 105 locations where you can get free tax preparation in Alameda, Contra Costa, Martin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Solano counties. Informational flyers are available in English, Spanish and Chinese. Coming soon, fliers will also be available in Farsi and Khmer (Cambodian). You may also call 1-800-358-8832. For counties outside the Bay Area, please call HELPLINK at 415-808-HELP.

Dublin Library
Free Tax Assistance is available at the Dublin Library every Saturday, beginning February 7th and continuing until April 11th from 10:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. in the Group Study Room.

This program is jointly sponsored by the IRS and AARP. Trained volunteers assist with U.S. Federal and California State income tax and e-filing.

Appointments are available for morning sessions. Starting January 15, 2009, call the Dublin Library at 925-803-7275 during normal open hours or sign up at the Reference Desk. Drop-ins with no appointment are welcome at any time from 10:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. and will be served on a first come, first served basis, subject to availability of volunteer staff.

Fremont Main Library
No tax assistance programs offer their services at the library, but there are places in Fremont that offer help.

VITA locations: Free tax preparation by certified volunteer tax preparers for qualified individuals and families earning less than $45,000 in 2008.

Fremont Family Resource Center
Pacific room, Suite H800
39155 Liberty Street
Fremont, Ca. 94538

Hours:
Monday evenings, 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
(Feb 2, 9, 23; March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; April 6 & 13)
Closed Monday, February 16th, for President's Day.

Wednesday evenings, 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
(Feb 4, 11, 18, 25; Mar 4, 11, 18, 26;Apr 1, 8, 15)

Fridays, 10:00 am to 12:30 pm

(Feb 6, 13, 20, 27; Mar 6, 13, 20, 27; Apr 3 & 10)

Free childcare offered on site while taxes are being prepared.
Call 510.574.2020 for more information

No appointment necessary for p.m. hours; last appointment accepted up to 8:00.

Interpreters in Farsi, Indian Dialects, Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish and Tagalog are available.

San Lorenzo Library
Free tax assistance is available at San Lorenzo Library Monday and Tuesday afternoons from February 2 through April 14, 2009 by appointment. Please call the Reference Desk at (510) 670-6283 to make a reservation during normal open hours or sign up in person at the Reference Desk.

This program is jointly sponsored by the IRS and AARP. Trained volunteers assist with U.S. Federal and California State income tax and e-filing for taxpayers with low and middle income with special attention for those age 60 and older.

Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE)
The Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) Program provides free tax help to people age 60 and older. Trained volunteers from non-profit organizations provide free tax counseling and basic income tax return preparation for senior citizens.

As part of the IRS-sponsored TCE Program, AARP offers the Tax-Aide counseling program at more than 9,000 sites nationwide during the filing season. Trained and certified AARP Tax-Aide volunteer-counselors help people of low-to-middle income with special attention to those age 60 and older. For more information on TCE call 1-800-829-1040. To locate the nearest AARP Tax-Aide site, call 1-888-227-7669 or visit AARP's Internet site.

Fremont Senior Center 40086 Paseo Padre Pky at Lake Elizabeth Fremont, Ca. 94539 For Appointments call: 510-790-6600.

The Federation of Tax Administrators web site provides links to downloadable tax forms for all states.