IRS Form 15348 Guide: Filing Your Taxes Costs Less Rules

1. Introduction: What is Form 15348?

IRS Form 15348, officially titled Filing Your Taxes Costs Less Than This, is an administrative marketing flyer and community outreach poster published by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It is governed by the Stakeholder Partnerships, Education and Communication (SPEC) organization within the IRS Wage and Investment / Taxpayer Services Division.

This document is not a tax return filed by individual taxpayers or businesses. Instead, Form 15348 is a customizable promotional poster used by community organizations, public libraries, universities, and volunteer tax coalitions participating in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs. It serves as an eye-catching announcement designed to inform the public about Facilitated Self-Assistance (FSA)—an IRS-backed program that allows eligible taxpayers to prepare and e-file their own federal and state taxes online for free using commercial-grade software, backed by IRS-certified volunteer support.

2. Purpose of the Form: Why Does Form 15348 Exist?

Every year, millions of low-to-moderate-income Americans pay between $150 and $300 or more in retail tax preparation fees or software subscription charges. These fees drain valuable dollars that could otherwise be used for basic family necessities or saved from refundable credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC).

To combat this financial drain, the IRS created the Facilitated Self-Assistance model, which provides free, interview-based tax preparation software to eligible taxpayers. Form 15348 exists to solve the public awareness challenge:

• The “Costs Less Than This” Visual Message: The flyer uses the compelling, visual headline “Filing Your Taxes Costs Less Than This” to emphasize that filing through the program costs literally $0—less than everyday inexpensive items like a cup of coffee, a pencil, or a bus ticket.
• Promoting Flexible Self-Preparation: It informs taxpayers that they do not have to wait in long lines at physical tax clinics; they can prepare their own returns at home, on a smartphone, tablet, or at an on-site community computer lab.
• Providing Certified Volunteer Backup: It reassures hesitant filers that if they get stuck or have questions while preparing their return online, IRS-certified volunteers are available to assist them via chat, email, phone, or in person.
• Offering Customizable Local Advertising: It provides pre-approved, professional marketing material with editable fields where local VITA coalitions can insert their site name, physical address, operating hours, and assistance links.

3. Who Needs to File / Use This Form?

Form 15348 is a promotional document used by community leaders and program managers rather than an individual tax filing. You should use Form 15348 if:

• You are a VITA or TCE site coordinator or sponsoring partner organization managing a free tax site.
• You manage a public library, community center, community college, or nonprofit facility hosting a Facilitated Self-Assistance computer lab or self-prep kiosk.
• You are a community organizer or volunteer outreach coordinator promoting free electronic filing options to low-to-moderate-income families and students.
• You are an IRS SPEC Relationship Manager providing promotional materials to local community partners and municipal agencies.

4. Who Is Exempt / Not Required to File?

Because Form 15348 is a promotional flyer, large categories of individuals and entities do not use it:

• General Individual Taxpayers: Everyday citizens preparing their personal taxes never file Form 15348 with their Form 1040.
• Commercial Paid Tax Preparers: For-profit CPA firms and retail tax stores do not distribute volunteer FSA promotional posters.
• Workplace and Employer Outreach: Companies promoting free tax prep to their corporate employees use companion Form 15344 (Free Tax Preparation and Assistance for Your Employees!) rather than Form 15348.
• Membership Organizations: Labor unions and credit unions promoting to their members use companion Form 15345 (Free Tax Preparation and Assistance for Your Members!).
• Full-Service Only Clinics: Volunteer sites that offer only traditional, 100% in-person tax preparation without any self-prep FSA component do not use this flyer.

5. When to File / Distribute: Deadlines and Frequency

Form 15348 is an event-based promotional flyer rather than an annual recurring tax filing. It carries no statutory tax deadline and can be displayed whenever a community organization chooses.

However, community organizations achieve the highest public engagement by following the annual tax calendar:

• Early Winter (November – December): Printing posters and hanging them in public libraries, campus student unions, and community centers to build awareness before tax season starts.
• January Launch: Heavy distribution and digital promotion in January when taxpayers begin receiving Forms W-2 and 1099.
• Peak Filing Season (February – April): Displaying posters at local community centers, transit stations, and food pantries to reach last-minute filers leading up to the April filing deadline.

6. Where and How to Distribute / Coordinate

Form 15348 is an outreach document that is never submitted to an IRS tax processing center. Community partners distribute it through grassroots public channels:

• Physical Community Displays: Print color copies (standard 8.5 x 11 inches) and post them on bulletin boards in public libraries, civic centers, university lounges, and grocery store community boards.
• Digital Portals and Social Media: Save the customized PDF and post it on municipal websites, community coalition resource pages, or local social media groups.
• Handouts at Community Events: Distribute printed flyers at local health fairs, job centers, utility assistance clinics, and public housing complexes.
• Coordinating with the IRS: Sponsoring partners coordinate with their local IRS SPEC Territory Office or Relationship Manager (found through IRS partner networks or by contacting the designated IRS address as per instructions in Publication 5047) to obtain their unique free software web link.

7. Step-by-Step Instructions to Fill Form 15348

Form 15348 is designed as a single-page promotional poster. The top portion features the bold headline and core service benefits, while the lower portion contains editable text boxes where local coordinators insert specific site details. The table below outlines each section of the form.

Section	Item Name	Content & Customization Instructions
Header Banner	Catchy Headline	Bold headline: “FILING YOUR TAXES COSTS LESS THAN THIS.” highlighting $0 filing cost.
Core Features	Key Program Benefits	Three bullet points: Completely free, online tax preparation & filing, and brand-name software.
Volunteer Help	Certified Assistance	Highlights that help is available from IRS-certified volunteers on-site, at home, or on mobile devices.
Fillable Field 1	Partner & Site Name	Editable text field to type your local VITA/TCE partner name and specific physical site name.
Fillable Field 2	Address & Operating Hours	Editable text field to enter the physical street address, email, phone number, and hours of operation.
Fillable Field 3	FSA Model Description	Editable text field to describe the specific Facilitated Self-Assistance model offered (e.g., kiosk vs. remote).
Footer	Official Branding	Official IRS, VITA, and Facilitated Self-Assistance program logos.

Part 1: Reviewing the Headline and Core Features

The top section of the form captures immediate attention with the headline “FILING YOUR TAXES COSTS LESS THAN THIS.” It reassures the public that the service is completely free, uses trusted, brand-name interview software, and includes free federal and state preparation. It emphasizes that filers can prepare their returns at a physical community site, at home on a laptop, or on the go using a smartphone or tablet.

Part 2: Customizing Partner and Site Identification (Field 1)

Click on the first highlighted text box. Delete the placeholder prompt and type your organization’s formal name and tax site title (for example, “Oakridge Community Tax Coalition – Main Library Computer Lab”). This lets community members know exactly which trusted local organization is hosting the service.

Part 3: Entering Address, Contact, and Assistance Hours (Field 2)

Click on the second highlighted text box. Enter the complete physical street address where taxpayers can visit in person, along with assistance hours, contact email, and telephone details (for example, “123 Civic Center Drive, Room 204. Open Tuesdays & Thursdays 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM, Saturdays 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Call 555-0199 or email taxhelp@oakridge.org”).

Part 4: Describing the Facilitated Self-Assistance Model (Field 3)

In the third highlighted text box, describe how your site delivers assistance:

• On-Site Kiosk Model: Explain that taxpayers can use computers provided at the location with certified volunteers standing by to assist with questions.
• Remote / Virtual Model: Provide your dedicated website URL where taxpayers can access the free software from home, noting that volunteers are available via live chat, email, or telephone.

8. Required Documents and Information Needed Before Filling

Before customizing and printing Form 15348, assemble the following operational details:

• Your organization’s official VITA/TCE partner name and Site Identification Number (SIDN).
• Confirmed physical location, room number, and operating hours for your self-prep lab or kiosk.
• Direct customer service telephone number, email, or website where taxpayers can get assistance.
• The specific, dedicated URL linking to your partner coalition’s free commercial tax software.
• IRS Publication 5047: Facilitated Self Assistance for SPEC Partners (for program guidelines).

9. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Distributing an unedited or incomplete poster can lead to taxpayer confusion. Avoid these frequent mistakes:

• Displaying Unedited Placeholder Text: Printing Form 15348 with placeholder text (such as “Highlight and type VITA/TCE partner and/or site name here”) looks unprofessional and leaves taxpayers without actionable information. Always customize all three fillable boxes before printing.
• Omitting Operating Hours: Telling taxpayers a site exists without listing days and hours of operation leads to frustrated citizens arriving when the lab is closed.
• Using the Wrong Promotional Flyer: If you are promoting tax prep to corporate employees at their workplace, use Form 15344. If promoting to union or credit union members, use Form 15345. Form 15348 is tailored for general public community displays.
• Circulating Without a Web Link on Digital Posts: If posting Form 15348 on social media or community websites, always include the direct web link to your free software in the post caption.
• Treating the Poster as a Tax Filing: Form 15348 is a marketing poster, not a tax form. Mailing it to an IRS processing center serves no administrative purpose.

10. Penalties for Non-Filing or Errors

Because Form 15348 is an informational marketing flyer, there are zero fines, civil tax penalties, or legal liabilities associated with it:

• Completely Voluntary: Community organizations face no penalties or mandates if they choose not to display or distribute Form 15348.
• No Accuracy Sanctions: Displaying the flyer creates no organizational tax audit liability.
• Community Financial Loss: The only negative consequence of not promoting the program is financial loss for your community. Failing to advertise free filing options means low-income residents may spend hundreds of dollars on commercial preparation fees or high-interest refund advance loans.

11. Related Forms or Schedules

Form 15348 operates within an interconnected system of IRS community outreach forms and volunteer publications:

• Form 15344: Free Tax Preparation and Assistance for Your Employees! (outreach flyer for employers).
• Form 15345: Free Tax Preparation and Assistance for Your Members! (outreach flyer for unions and credit unions).
• Form 15349: File Your Taxes Yourself For Free (companion self-prep flyer).
• Form 15349 (SP): File Your Taxes Yourself For Free (Spanish Version).
• IRS Publication 5047: Facilitated Self Assistance for SPEC Partners.
• IRS Publication 5564: FSA Remote-Self-Prep Tax Benefit Partner Guide.
• Form 13533: VITA/TCE Partner Sponsor Agreement.

12. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What does “Filing Your Taxes Costs Less Than This” mean?

It is an engaging visual headline used by the IRS to emphasize that preparing and filing your taxes through Facilitated Self-Assistance costs $0—which is literally less than everyday minor purchases like a cup of coffee, a pencil, or a newspaper.

2. What is Facilitated Self-Assistance (FSA)?

Facilitated Self-Assistance is an IRS-supported initiative that allows eligible taxpayers to prepare and e-file their own federal and state tax returns online for free using commercial interview-based software, with access to IRS-certified volunteer support if they have questions.

3. Are state income tax returns included for free?

Yes. Unlike many commercial “free file” products that charge $40 to $60 to file a state return, the software provided through IRS VITA/FSA partnerships includes both federal and state tax preparation completely free of charge.

4. What devices can taxpayers use to file their taxes through this program?

Taxpayers can prepare and file their returns using any modern device with internet access, including personal desktop computers, laptops, tablets, or smartphones, or at computer kiosks set up at participating community partner sites.

5. Can our organization add our own logo to Form 15348?

Yes. The fillable text fields in Form 15348 are designed for local partner customization. Sponsoring organizations can enter their name, contact details, and partnership branding alongside the official IRS and VITA logos.

6. How does Form 15348 differ from Form 15344 and Form 15345?

Form 15344 is written for employers communicating with employees, Form 15345 is written for membership organizations communicating with members, and Form 15348 is designed as a broad public community poster for display in libraries, community centers, and public spaces.

13. Conclusion: Key Takeaways

IRS Form 15348 is an invaluable promotional tool that empowers community organizations to spread the word about free tax preparation. By utilizing this professionally designed poster to highlight $0 filing costs and certified volunteer assistance, local coalitions can help working families avoid high preparation fees and claim their full refunds.

Because tax preparation begins in January, community coordinators should customize Form 15348 with their local site hours and contact details in late fall, coordinate with their IRS SPEC Relationship Manager, and display the poster across public facilities to maximize community savings.