IRS eBook Proof-of-Concept
IRS is excited to announce the first release of tax publications and instructions as eBooks. eBooks provide the ability to easily navigate publications and instructions on mobile devices using a book type metaphor. Using an eBook, you can search within the publication, resize the type, and add your own bookmarks. In addition, the text automatically reflows to fit the screen size of your device.
Our first release of eBooks includes the 1040 family of instructions and several popular publications in the ePub format, version 2. ePub is a standard specification developed by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF). The Proof-of-Concept was quality assured using Apple's iBooks for iPad and is also viewable using the Barnes & Noble Nook, Samsung tablet and many of the popular dedicated eBook readers. IRS eBooks will only be available from IRS.gov during the initial testing phases. See FAQ for questions about downloading, known issues and helpful hints.
Note: The ePub format cannot be read on Kindle devices. ePub reader applications are readily available from the Amazon App store for the Kindle tablet. IRS is researching the capability to provide MOBI/KF8 eBooks in future releases.
Guide to IRS Formats
IRS offers their content in several different file formats to accommodate as many electronic reading devices as possible (PC, Mac, Tablet, Smartphone, dedicated eReader). For a description of each format, visit the File Format page on irs.gov.
We welcome your comments and suggestions. They will be used to determine how we move forward with this eBook initiative. Send your comments to: ebook@irs.gov. Individual emails will not be responded to.
Publications and Instructions in eBook format
| Product Number | Title | Tax Year |
|---|---|---|
| Publication 502 (ePub) | Medical and Dental Expenses Including the Health Coverage Tax Credit | TY 2011 |
| Publication 503 (epub) | Child and Dependent Care Expenses | TY 2011 |
| Publication 523 (ePub) | Selling Your Home | TY 2011 |
| Publication 587 (ePub) | Business Use of Your Home | TY 2011 |
| Publication 590 (ePub) | Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs) | TY 2011 |
| Publication 907 (ePub) | Tax Highlights for Persons with Disabilities | TY 2011 |
| Publication 936 (ePub) | Home Mortgage Interest Deduction | TY 2011 |
| Instruction 1040 (ePub) | Instructions for Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return | TY 2011 |
| Instruction 1040-A (ePub) | Instructions for Form 1040-A, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return | TY 2011 |
| Instruction 1040-EZ (ePub) | Instructions for Form 1040-EZ, Income Tax Return for Single Filers and Joint Filers with no Dependents | TY 2011 |
| Instruction 1040 Sch A (ePub) | Instructions for Schedule A (Form 1040), Itemized Deductions | TY 2011 |
| Instruction 1040 Sch C (ePub) | Instructions for Schedule C (Form 1040), Profit or Loss from Business (Sole Proprietorship) | TY 2011 |
| Instruction 1040 Sch D (ePub) | Instructions for Schedule D (Form 1040), Capital Gains and Losses | TY 2011 |
| Instruction 1040 Sch E (ePub) | Instructions for Schedule E (Form 1040), Supplemental Income and Loss | TY 2011 |
| Instruction 1040 Sch F (ePub) | Instructions for Schedule F (Form 1040), Profit or Loss From Farming | TY 2011 |
| Instruction 1040 Sch H (ePub) | Instructions for Schedule H (Form 1040), Household Employment Taxes | TY 2011 |
| Instruction 1040 Sch J (ePub) | Instructions for Schedule J (Form 1040), Farm Income Averaging | TY 2011 |
| Instruction 1040 Sch R (ePub) | Instructions for Schedule R (Form 1040A or 1040), Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled | TY 2011 |
| Instruction 1040 Sch SE (ePub) |
Instruction 1040 Sch SE (2011), Instructions for Schedule SE (Form 1040), Self-Employment Tax |
TY 2011 |
FAQs
How can I download eBooks from IRS.gov onto my device or into my app during the proof-of-concept phase? Consult the instructions provided by your device manufacturer/app developer for "side-loading" the eBook to your eReader.
iBooks (Apple iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch)
- You can download ePub files on your Mac or PC. Add them to your iTunes library choosing File > Add to Library, or drag the ePub file to the Books library on your computer. To read these books, simply sync them to your device.
- You can also download ePub files to your Mac or PC and email them to your device. When you select the attachment, your device will ask if you want to open it in iBooks.
Barnes & Noble Nook
Search Nook Support for "side-load" and select instructions specific to your device/app. Note: The proof-of-concept has not been tested with Nook readers.
Do I have to be connected to the Internet to read the eBooks? Once downloaded, eBooks are available from your local drive. The Internet is only required for links outside of the eBook.
Why won't the IRS publications and instructions open on my Kindle? The proof-of-concept is only available in the ePub format. ePub is a standard developed and maintained by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) and is viewable with many popular eReaders. However, Kindle only reads the KF8/MOBI formats. IRS is researching the capability to produce KF8/MOBI publications and instructions in future releases.
Why can't I choose my own font? The IRS publications and instructions are printed in Sans-serif fonts. To preserve consistency in the appearance of the documents, the font-family has been set.
Can I enlarge the font? Yes, you can change the font size, and enlarge it at your convenience. Note, however, that certain complex layout, such as tables, may drop some information if the font is too large.
Can I refer to page numbers? The page numbers that appear on certain readers are dynamically assigned and will change if the font size changes, or if the reader displays two pages instead of one. Therefore, the page numbers that appear are transient, and can't be used for referencing.
Can I click on the links? Yes. There are two kinds of links: internal cross-references that will take you to another section of the same book, and links to the Web. The links to the Web will open in the browser that is provided with your tablet/eBook reader, and they will only work if an Internet connection is available. When you have finished reviewing the content referenced in the web links, reopening your eBook application will take you back to the page you were on when you activated the link.
Helpful Hints
Viewing IRS eBooks
Some IRS tax publications and instructions contain complex tables and are best viewed on the iPad tablet in the vertical position rather than the 2 page layout. Some table widths may not be completely viewable in the 2 page layout
IRS eBooks are best viewed using the text size when the eBook is first opened. Most eReaders provide the capability to adjust the text size to your preference.
Some eReaders provide the capability to enlarge graphics and tables by single or double tapping the graphic/table.
Table of Contents
Every eBook has an interactive table of contents that takes you to the specific location of interest in the eBook. The table of contents is available from each page of the eBook. The table of contents for the instructions provides links to IRS Forms’ specific line numbers.
Bookmarks
Most eReaders provide the capability for users to set multiple bookmarks and navigate to them quickly from an easily accessible list.
Full-text Search
Some eReaders provide the capability for full-text search. The features and behavior of the search engine depends on your eReader device/app.
Known Issues
Some IRS tax publications and instructions contain complex tables. Complex tables may slow the performance of some publications/instructions.
Some IRS tax publications and instructions contain complex tables and are best viewed on the iPad tablet in the vertical position rather than the two-page layout. Some table widths may not be completely viewable in the two-page layout.
When an eBook is first opened, it may take a certain amount of time (some seconds to a couple of minutes before the whole book is downloaded. During that time, going to some portions of the book (especially near the end) may not be possible.
