If you’re one of the many people who haven’t been filing their taxes with the IRS, you might be nervous about what will happen if (or when) the IRS finally catches up with you. Missing even one year can be problematic, but if you have gone multiple years without filing a return you can be facing serious consequences. The fact is, however, that the longer you put it off the worse it will be. With the help of a good tax attorney you can minimize the impact this could have on your life. In fact, you may find that the fallout is not nearly as bad as you were expecting!
Organize Your Documents
Your tax attorney will need you to gather together all the documents that you can find related to your taxes in years past. If you received tax information from employers, that will be needed. If you had been paid “under the table” you will want to gather bank statements or anything else that can help to show how much money you were paid.
Filing Past Returns
There are simple forms available for filing tax returns for back taxes. Unless the IRS has already contacted you, you can simply file the tax returns by sending the proper forms to the normal address. You may even be able to file them online. While you want to complete this process as soon as possible, it is also important to make sure you don’t make any mistakes as late tax returns often get a little more scrutiny than current ones. Please contact us today for more information!
Paying What Is Owed
In most cases people who haven’t filed taxes in a few years or more will find that they owe money to the IRS. You will be responsible for both the taxes that are due as well as any late payment penalties. An experienced tax attorney may be able to have some fees or penalties reduced or waived. When you figure out how much you owe, make sure to pay it as quickly as possible. If the amount is more than you can afford, an attorney can help you set up a payment plan with the IRS. This will allow you to work your way out of the debt over a period of time.
File All New Taxes
Even if you’re in a payment plan with the IRS or working through any other process related to back taxes, you will want to file each new year’s taxes on time. This will help ensure you don’t fall behind on those as well. If you are entitled to a refund from a current year, however, that amount will likely be taken and applied to any amounts you owe from previous years.
If you haven’t filed your taxes, we understand the stress you’re under. But it’s important to understand that the longer you delay, the worse your situation becomes. Take action and put your IRS issues behind you. We can help – please contact us today to learn more!
Written by E. Morgan Maxwell
Since beginning his own firm, Mr. Maxwell has continued a tax-law oriented practice encompassing a wide range of transactions, planning and dispute resolution. His dispute resolution experience includes involvement at all levels of the Internal Revenue Service (Examinations, Appeals, Collections, Office of Professional Responsibility, the U.S. Tax Court), the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, the Tax Litigation Section of the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, Common Pleas Court and local taxing jurisdictions in southeastern Pennsylvania.
