| Well, you don't need it, but you might want | | | | doesn't have to! It's the IRS after all!) - |
| it in order to view many of the important | | | | just kind of ignore that column and look at |
| files that you might find on the Web. Files | | | | the next column of information. This column |
| that you will find in Adobe's PDF format are | | | | will contain the more familiar form name and |
| common documents like IRS forms, product | | | | number and it is in order! You will see the |
| manuals, reports, business information, maps, | | | | more common forms like Form 1040 and 1040A |
| e-books (electronic books) - which includes | | | | and when you do, you will notice that the |
| all formats like novels, plays, poetry, | | | | ones that are before it are forms in the 900 |
| magazines and historic documents - and many | | | | range of numbers, so you can see that all you |
| other documents.Let's take an example: (sorry | | | | need to do is find the number for the form |
| reader's outside of the USA, you may not | | | | you need and then choose it.You choose it by |
| totally 'get' this reference!) It's April | | | | clicking on the line that the form is on and |
| and U. S. taxes are due. You start your | | | | then go down a bit on the page and click on |
| paperwork and realize that you did something | | | | the button that says "Review Selected Files". |
| different last year and need another form | | | | You will have a link on a new page for that |
| that's not in your regular packet.OK ... | | | | particular form that you selected. Make sure |
| what's the procedure for this ... you get in | | | | that it is the correct form number and then |
| the car, drive to the local post office, park | | | | go ahead and click on that link. If it isn't |
| the car, go in and rummage around the piles | | | | correct, click on the back button and try |
| of forms that are there and it isn't there. | | | | again.By clicking on that link, you are |
| Oh well, get back in the car and drive to the | | | | choosing a PDF formatted document - by the |
| downtown federal buildings and again find a | | | | way PDF stands for Portable Document Format |
| parking place ... find the IRS office ... | | | | and is also the extension for each document. |
| look through the stacks of forms to find the | | | | So if you see a file in your folders on your |
| right one ... finally find it and proceed to | | | | computer that looks like this: filename.pdf |
| make your way back to the car ... fight the | | | | - that file can only be viewed by the Adobe |
| downtown traffic back home and now you are | | | | Reader software.Getting back to the IRS |
| too tired to work on your taxes!Whew!! That | | | | website, when you click on that link, you |
| sounds like a lot of work! Well, I can tell | | | | don't have to do anything else other than to |
| you for certain that there is an easier way | | | | watch it come up in your Adobe Reader - that |
| to get that form! Here's the new | | | | is, you will if you have it installed on your |
| procedure:Connect to the internet (however | | | | computer. Need to get it? Simply go to |
| you connect); open up a browser (where you | | | | where you will find a link to download the |
| view web pages: like Internet Explorer, | | | | software for free!Now, so you can find it and |
| Netscape, or AOL's browser); go to the | | | | use it again, make sure that you click on the |
| address bar (box) near the top of the window; | | | | "Save a Copy" button in the left corner to |
| type in press the Enter key or click on the | | | | save that form that you searched so hard for! |
| 'Go' button to get you to the site.Now, over | | | | Also, don't forget to go back to the list |
| to the left you'll see a heading labeled | | | | after you save the form to get any |
| "Most Requested Forms and Publications" and | | | | instructions that go with the form. Bring it |
| below it you'll see a list of the most common | | | | into your Adobe Reader software the same way |
| forms that people request. If your form is | | | | and you're ready to work on your taxes!Now, |
| not listed, then simply click on the last | | | | even though it took a while to write out |
| link in that section labeled "More Forms and | | | | these instructions on how to get a form from |
| Publications" which will bring you to a | | | | the web site, it is actually a very quick |
| different page.Now, this is the most | | | | procedure!So, why do people and companies use |
| difficult part of the whole procedure ... | | | | PDF documents so extensively?PDF files are |
| remember now, this is a government web site, | | | | enormously popular because of 2 main |
| it's not supposed to be easy! On the page | | | | features: they retain the original formatting |
| there are about '500' links - well, it seems | | | | for the document and they are |
| like that many! Anyway, at this point - | | | | "portable".Formatting is the design - the |
| don't give up now! - look at your situation - | | | | look and 'feel' of the document. Easily |
| do you know the name and or number of the | | | | represented by forms to fill out that need to |
| form that you need? If you do, then simply | | | | look and print the same for each person, like |
| click on the very first link under the | | | | the tax forms, it's meant to be a standard |
| heading: "Download Forms and Publications | | | | 'view' no matter what 'platform' it's viewed |
| by:" which will get you to another page with | | | | on - Windows computers, Macintosh computers, |
| the listing of all the forms available on the | | | | Unix computers or any portable device like a |
| site. It looks very confusing but don't give | | | | cell phone. Consistency is the key here and |
| up yet!If you look at the first column to the | | | | that is why people choose to create and |
| left of the list it looks like there's no | | | | transmit documents in PDF format. |
| rhyme or reason to it (oh, that's right, it | | | | |