2001 5500 - can EFAST form be completed by hand?

[Cathy from Chicago]

Client needs 2001 5500 forms - ordered from IRS, never received, filing deadline next week. I sent him blank EFAST forms and am now wondering if they may be completed by hand (he does their 5500). If not, would the best approach be to complete the EFAST and wait for the DOL to reject it, thereby providing him with the forms for handwritten cases? Please advise...Thanks in advance.

[jaemmons]

From my understanding, only the IRS can issue "hand print" forms.

Also, the instructions to the 2002 Form 5500 indicate on page 1 that "Filings using photocopies of the computer scannable forms and schedules may be returned or cause correspondence requiring additional information." Therefore, if you mailed your client "machine print" forms from an EFAST approved software system, they may be kicked back and rejected, as they may not be able to scan them.