Where to file old tax returns

However, you cannot obtain a refund without filing a tax return. If you wait too long to file, you may risk losing the refund altogether. In cases where a return is not filed, the law provides most taxpayers with a three-year window of opportunity for claiming a refund. Individuals who are entitled to the Earned Income Tax Credit must file their return to claim the credit even if they are not otherwise required to file. The return must be filed within three years of the due date in order to receive the credit.

Statutes of limitation. After the expiration of the refund statute, not only does the law prevent the issuance of a refund check, it also prevents the application of any credits, including overpayments of estimated or withholding taxes, to other tax years that are underpaid. On the other hand, the statute of limitations for IRS to assess and collect any outstanding balances does not start until a return has been filed.

In other words, there is no statute of limitations for assessing and collecting the tax if no return has been filed. Prior Year Forms, Instructions and Publications. Contact My Local Office. This page is designated as historical and is no longer updated. Page Last Reviewed or Updated: Jul Share Facebook Twitter Linkedin Print. See which education credits and deductions you qualify for Get started. See how much your charitable donations are worth Get started. The above article is intended to provide generalized financial information designed to educate a broad segment of the public; it does not give personalized tax, investment, legal, or other business and professional advice.

Skip To Main Content. Why you should file back taxes Filing back tax returns you haven't completed could help you do one of the following: 1. Claim a refund One practical reason to file a back tax return is to see if the IRS owes you a tax refund.

Stop late filing and payment penalties and interest Filing a tax return on time is key to avoid penalties, even if you can't pay the balance you owe. Have tax returns for loan applications Certain types of loans, such as mortgages and business loans, may require you to have documentation of your income as part of the approval process. Pay Social Security taxes to qualify for benefits Self-employed individuals have to pay Social Security taxes through their estimated tax payments and individual income tax returns.

How late can you file? How to file tax returns for previous years Filing a tax return for a previous year isn't as hard as you may think, but it does require a few steps. Gather information The first step is gathering any information from the year you want to file a tax return for. Request tax documents from the IRS Finding documents from previous years may be challenging for some. Complete and file your tax return Once you have all the forms you need, be sure to use the tax forms from the year you're filing.

Select the year you want to file a return for to get started. Then, input your tax information and TurboTax will properly fill out the tax forms. You will have to print out and mail in your tax return for previous years as e-filing prior year returns is not an option through TurboTax. All you need to know is yourself Answer simple questions about your life and TurboTax Free Edition will take care of the rest.

If you want to stay in good standing with the IRS, you should file back taxes within six years. There is a year statute of limitations on the IRS for collecting taxes. This means that the IRS has 10 years after assessment to collect any taxes you owe. This is a general rule, however, and the collection period can be suspended for various reasons, thus extending how long the IRS has to collect your debt.

You may be able to prepare your back tax returns using online software, and you may be able to e-file. However, you may still typically need to print and mail a return for back taxes, as well, if your software is not approved for the Modernized e-File MeF system. If you owe the IRS money, it typically won't be long before you find out. The IRS will begin mailing you notices and bills if you fail to pay your taxes in full.

You can also contact the IRS directly by phone, letter, or in person, and check your tax status online. Internal Revenue Service. Collecting Process. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads.

Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. You can always search through the IRS website for the forms, but for quicker access, you should use sophisticated tax preparation software, such as TurboTax.

Step 4 : Prepare your back tax returns- You cannot complete prior year tax forms using instructions from the current tax year. When you have all your documents in front of you and you are ready to start inputting your data, double check to make sure that the instructions you are using are for the same tax year as the tax return you are preparing.

Tax laws change every year, so you must follow the guidelines for the Tax Year you are trying to file. If you owe additional income tax for any of the prior years, remember to include as large of a payment as you can to reduce your interest charges. Monthly interest still accrues indefinitely until the tax is paid. Once the IRS receives your tax returns, you should expect to receive notice of the exact penalty and interest charges you are responsible for.