Sometimes, you just have to slow down. A 4473 is important "slow down" paperwork, especially since they started changing the questions around. When you look at the overall time used in a purchase transaction, that extra 2 or 3 minutes, taking your time, can save you a lot of grief.
THIS X 1000
The cavalier attitude many customers have to filling out a Form 4473 is both funny and sad.
Virtually no one reads the instructions next to the question they are answering and many licensed dealer don't bother reading the three and a half pages of instructions that clarify how to fill out the form and what is required.
Being that it's a federal felony punishable by up to ten years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.......you would think people would be a little more careful.
The most common errors I see:
-forgetting to put "cadence" after their last name (Jr, Sr, II, III, etc)
-leaving "middle name" blank, using only an initial when you have a middle name or failing to write :NMN" when you have no middle name.
-Writing the address as shown on their drivers license even though they don't live there.... because some idiot told them "addresses must match".
-failing to include their apartment #
-putting "USA" where it asks for "
county of residence"
-including Social Security Number when you have a Texas CHL/LTC......which serves as an exemption to the NICS check (meaning no call to the NICS, no benefit with SSN)
-Not answering 10.a. AT ALL (Hispanic/Not Hispanic)
-Leaving 10.b blank when you are Hispanic ethnicity (instructions in bold print tell the buyer to answer both 10.a and 10.b)
Getting to questions 11a through 11.1 and asking the dealer "all of theses are "No" correct? (without reading a single one) I don't know you dummy, read the
question!
-Leaving Questions 12b through 12,d,2 blank.....yeah.....I know they don't apply to a US Citizen but you have to answer them anyway.
-Signing and dating the form 4473 at the top of page 2 without reading anything in the fine print.
-Filling in the gov issued ID information....even though the instructions say the dealer is to do that.
-Signing and dating at the bottom of page 2
No dummy......reading is fundamental.
I keep track of how many errors and ommisions I have to point out to buyers....90% do not fill the form out according to the instructions. I know there is a lot of fine print, but jail time/fines yo