You couldn’t find the records to do them and the years compounded. You divorced, your “ex” was the filer, and now you’re lost. Your accountant died and you panicked and stopped filing. You have so many years to file that you’re paralyzed with fear and inertia.

What to do if you haven’t filed your tax return?

If you haven’t filed your federal income tax return for this year or for previous years, you should file your return as soon as possible regardless of your reason for not filing the required return. If you need help, check our website. We have tools and resources available, such as the Interactive Tax Assistant (ITA) and FAQs.

What happens if you don’t file your taxes by the due date?

If your return wasn’t filed by the due date (including extensions of time to file): You may be subject to the failure-to-file penalty, unless you have reasonable cause for your failure to file timely.

Is there a statute of limitations on not filing taxes?

If the IRS filed for you, you’ll want to replace the Substitute for Returns with returns of your own to reduce the balance they assessed. If you’re getting refunds and won’t owe taxes, you can focus on the last four years only (as the statute of limitations prevents refunds beyond 3-4 years.)

What happens if I haven’t filed a tax return in years?

I haven’t filed a tax return in a long time – maybe four or five years. How bad is that? It depends on your situation. Let’s start with the worst-case scenario. If you owed taxes for the years you haven’t filed, the IRS has not forgotten.

What happens if you don’t file taxes in 2014?

* If you file 2014 to 2019, in most cases, the IRS will consider you “compliant” and not bother asking for the older years. If you owe money, a livable payment plan or settlement can be pursued.