A census is a count of every person living in the United States that happens only once every 10 years. Census information helps determine how almost $400 billion of federal aid will be spent on state and local services, such as hospitals, schools, and senior centers. The 2010 Census is just about to begin. Below is the 2010 Census timeline:

• March 2010: Census forms are mailed or delivered to every household in the U.S.
• March–April 2010: Census forms are also available at select public sites.
• April 1, 2010: Census Day.
• May–July 2010: Census workers visit households that did not return census forms.
• December 31, 2010: The Census Bureau will deliver population counts to the President.

When will I receive my census form?

Your household should receive a census form (along with a postage-paid envelope) in March 2010. If you do not receive a form, call the Telephone Questionnaire Assistance center at 1-866-872-6868. (For a Spanish-speaking operator, call 1-866-928-2010.) Forms will also be available at certain community locations.

Is the census form available in multiple languages?

Yes. The forms are available in six languages: English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese (simplified), Russian, and Vietnamese. Language Assistance Guides are available in 59 languages to help people fill out the English version of the census form. Large print and Braille guides and a language reference dictionary are also available.

Is there another way to get the form other than by mail?

Be Counted forms are census forms for use by people who either did not receive a form in the mail or whose information was not collected on any other form. These forms can be picked up in various community locations and mailed back in the attached postage-paid envelope. Be Counted forms are available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Russian.

What questions does the form ask?

The census form asks 10 short questions about where you live and who lives with you, including the names, ages, and genders of everyone living in the household. You can see a sample census form online (from the Census 2010 Web site). The census form cannot be filled out online.

Do I have to fill out the census form? What will happen if I do not fill it out?

Federal law requires that everyone—citizens and non-citizens—participate in the census. A household that does not return the census form right away will receive another form in the mail. If a household does not mail a form back, a census taker will visit that household to ask the 10 questions in person. If no one is home, the census taker will leave a door hanger with a phone number at the residence so the visit can be rescheduled.

What if I make a mistake on the form?

If you check the wrong box, just draw a line through it and mark the correct box for the question. If the error is in a write-in box, carefully draw a line through the incorrect entry and write the correct information as close as possible to the entry.

Who sees census information?

Census information is protected by the strongest privacy laws we have. The Census Bureau may not share census form answers with anyone, including other government agencies. Census Bureau employees, including census takers, are sworn for life to protect your information. The penalty for unlawful disclosure is a fine of up to $250,000 or imprisonment of up to five years, or both.

Where can I get more information about the 2010 Census?

To read more about the 2010 Census, see the 2010 Census Web site.

This article originally appeared in the March 2010 issue of Looking Out for Your Legal Rights^®.

This information last reviewed 3/18/10.