Does anyone know what happens to people who don't file their taxes for so many years? Not me, just curious
444507
typically if you have an adjusted goss income of less than &7,000, you dont have to file\n\nif you are owed a refund you dont have to file, BUT...if you dont file those returns in 3 years, you lose the refund-goose egg for you\n\nif you owe money and don file, penalties and interest and then when you do file, the statute of limitations is 10 years for the govt to collect them from you either by garnishing your wages or placing liens on your property or in extreme cases-seizing your property and selling it at auction to pay your taxes\n\nfew people go to jail for not filing or not paying money owed, but people who file false returns on purpose to purposely defraud the govt-thats a bad situation
88451
I would have your taxes prepared by a professional this year. It will help you with this unusual situation. Try H&R Block, if you don't want to use them, perhaps they can just answer the question over the phone.
198596
No, but they will be suspicious that you did not work unless you were a minor the whole time.  Even students work.  If you really didn't work, then you'll be fine.  But not working and pretending not to owe any tax are two different things.  Also, what kind of bum doesn't work for five years?  No offense, but that is the kind of question you'll be getting.
122233
a person who does not receive a w-2 is responsible to call the company and request a w-2.  the irs normally has to get a complaint to do anything, but they don't take complaints like that very seriously unless it has been a considerable amount of time.  in 17 years of accounting i have never seen the irs go after anyone for sending out late w-2's
375817
There will be penalties for failure to file / late filing, but there is unlikely to be any criminal consequence, unless you were intentionally hiding income or something.  Fortunately, those filing penalties reach maximums pretty quickly, and your refunds may be enough to cover them.  Like one respondent said, though, you're likely to be facing some more serious problems if you actually wind up owing taxes.  Don't panic, though; the IRS is usually rougher on businesses than on individuals, in my experience.  There are lots of ways to handle a tax debt, if it turns out that way, so do not ruin your life with worrying, okay?\n\nYou will probably want to get a CPA to do the old taxes for you, just because some CPAs (not all) will have kept the tax software around from years past for situations just like yours.  The CPA is going to need documents to try to re-create your finances from those years, though, so start gathering your bank statements and other records.  (You might have to ask the bank for copies of the old records, in which case they may charge you a fee for the trouble.)  I know some CPAs who specialize in this sort of thing, if you have no one else to turn to.\n\nRemember, for any situation you get in with the IRS, there's a good chance someone else owes 10x as much, has done 1/2 as much about it, and cares too little to even ask a question like yours.  Don't lose sleep over this or anything, just get started handling it.  And remember to file your taxes from now on!
92542
I filed anyway one year, when I only made like $6,000-$7,000 and I got back over $600. I was very surprised. You might do it online for kicks just to see if you have anything coming to you. If not just leave it unfiled. Good luck !
1101750
You're not in trouble, per se, because you have 3 years to file a return in order to get a refund (if due).  But what happens when you don't file a return is that IRS files a Substitute 1040 for you, and then they add penalties and interest to it, and the interest is accumulative, so you're much better off filing it now to eliminate owing them any more than you may already owe.  If you owe and can't pay, they will work out a payment plan with you, and you should take their offer, because the interest they charge is much less than paying it with a credit card.  And you don't need to hire someone to file the return for you; just go to irs.gov, find the form, fill it out and mail it in.
96578
You will always have to file income taxes even if you do not owe our government money.  Sorry!
156715
You have to work to be able to file a tax return. No income, no taxes taken out...
86686
go to the IRS website. It really helped me whan i filed for the first time. And that was in 2002.
151662
There is no 'contacting' them about this. \n\nJust don't claim them the next time you file your taxes!
842512
Most of us live with the idea that the past repeats itself.  \n\nThey are checking:\n\n1)  Did you lie on your application about your past salary?\n2)  Have you been in the same line of work for the last two years?\n3)  Does it show your salary has been going up?\n4)  Have you filed taxes for the last two years (otherwise the IRS could put a lien against your house once you have one)\n\nIt goes on and on, but the rest are just variations of the four above.\n\nContrary to the guy above me, it is almost ALWAYS REQUIRED UNLESS you are going with a stated income loan.
827585
Only if they've levied a tax lien.If the IRS have not reported this to your credit bureaus by way of a lien,then no.If they have issued a lien that can even effect your bank account.Unpaid tax liens stay on your reports longer than even bankruptcy.Unpaid tax liens are up to 15 years where as most debts are only 7.If you do settle the lien make sure you get copies of all three of your bureau reports and dispute them,as the creditor doesn't always remove them.\nhttp://finance.yahoo.com/creditreports
435271
yes. there's a federal statute that allows them to only go 3 years back. i do taxes for a living for the state and i've seen many people amend them further back, and have refunds, but they don't get the money. if i were you i would check with a lawyer to see what can be done.
446927
Definitely call them.  Just because it is their fault they were late processing, they will still get ya for whatever they can think of.  Just like the IRS - they will come back years later finding a mistake on your tax return and they have the Ba l l s to stick you with late fees and interest for all the time it took them to object.
139149
don't listen to all the nonsense that people tell you. the real and only answer is what the IRS says in this matter.\nhttp://tinyurl.com/5u0d
390037
No way no how that is just 3 years wasted. Doesn't make any difference where you were born. What makes the difference is where you are at for the next 3 years as to whither you can get a tax return or not.