Young and Stupid -- Haven't filed tax returns in seven years...

Lots of folks have been here before. She can run, but she can't hide forever, though if her W-2 earnings and withholding are such that she would not owe any tax, there may never be a systemic pursuit of her delinquent returns. Absent fraud, IRS generally won't solicit delinquent returns more than six years old.

If she can't or won't do this by herself, she can hire an EA or CPA to do it for her. Go to the nearest IRS office, request IRPTR transcripts (described further here:

She can file amended returns for the last 3 years, Since today is

She cannot file amended returns because she never filed returns in the first place. There is nothing to amend. She can file original returns going back as far as she likes, but if they show refunds, she will only get the refunds for

The OP said she is young, but he didn't say how long she has been working and not filing. If she is very young, maybe the problem doesn't go back many years.

Bob Sandler

To add a thing or two here....

The IRS may have already produced substitute for returns (sfr) based on third party (employer, bank etc) reporting.

There may be statute of limitation issues getting refunds for old years if there are sfr's in the system.

If there are no sfr's or other IRS notices, the IRS will deal with you less harshly if you come forward before being contacted by the IRS.

... Then there will likely be state tax issues to deal with

Probably better to have a CPA or EA help you here.

___________________________________

-----> real address on hobokeni or hobokenx

will probably take forever to get any information from YAS and in the end, the returns won't get mailed out.

I may be too cynical but the previous non-filers I had to deal with spoiled it for all the other "Good" non-filers.

========================================= MODERATOR'S COMMENT:

True. Does she recall ever seeing a letter from the IRS?

If she's never filed, she's probably not in their system (as a taxpayer). I never saw an SFR case for someone who had never filed in his/her lifetime.

Irrevelent. SFR's don't start any periods of limitation. The 3 year rule (from the due date) for claiming a refund still applies.

That much is certain. ;-)

I know a guy who did something like this (me). About 42 years ago, I started to fill out my tax returns on the last day before the deadline and couldn't find my tax papers. Since filing the next day would be late, I was afraid I would be in trouble for filing late so I didn't file at all. This went on for about 15 years. I think about the 13th year, I received a letter from the IRS about filing my taxes. I ignored the letter and didn't hear anymore. After the 15th year, I married a woman that had always filed her taxes. She didn't know about my situation and I didn't tell her. When tax filing time came around, I filed jointly with her and although I did a lot of worrying everything went through fine. It is now 25 years since I started filing again and have never heard a thing from the IRS about it. I divorced her after 11 years but kept on filing every year. If I hadn't of married her, I probably still wouldn't be filling unless they would have eventually came and hauled me in.

You should be able to file prior year taxes. Some online filing resources even offer to do prior year returns for free.

She can obtain copies of her Forms W-2 and 1099 from IRS for no charge. The copies IRS will furnish do not include any state tax information however.

As of May 19, 2008, IRS began maintaining 9 years of information returns, i.e., Forms W-2 and 1099, on its Information Returns Masterfile. Currently, years 1999 through 2007 are available. The easiest way to request copies is to submit a Form 4506-T. She will need to sumit multiple copies of the form for the number of years data she needs. Up to three years can be requested on one form.

She also probably needs to complete an IRS Form 8822 to request IRS update her address.

Condor