So when they say "voluntary tax system" that's basically BS right? Like they WILL come after you eventually? I always thought it was more like "we hope you'll pay but if you don't we might not notice" lol.

Voluntary tax" system means'you re expected to calculate and report your own taxes correctly without the government doing it for you first. It'doesn t mean taxes are optional! The IRS receives information from banks, employers, payment processors, etc., and their systems automatically match that information against filed returns. If you'haven t filed but they have records of your (income like 1099s from clients or bank)deposits , their automated systems will eventually flag your account for non-filing. Sometimes it takes years if'you re not on their radar, but digital records have made it much easier for them to catch non-filers. And once they do notice, they can go back indefinitely for unfiledyears.

I used FreeTaxUSA for 3 years of back taxes last year. Way cheaper than TurboTax and they keep prior year versions available. You just have to print and mail them in since you can't e-file prior years. Make sure you send them certified mail so you have proof of when you filed. Took about 9 weeks to process each return.

If I file an amended return just for the stimulus credit, will that affect any other parts of my tax situation from that year? I'm worried about opening a can of worms or triggering an audit.

Filing an amended return for just the Recovery Rebate Credit shouldn't affect other aspects of your tax situation if that's the only change you're making. You'll need to complete the entire 1040-X form, but you'll only be changing the specific line related to the credit. The amendment itself doesn't increase your audit risk if the claim is legitimate. Just make sure you have documentation showing you were eligible and didn't receive the payment. The IRS should have records of which payments were issued to you, but having your own bank statements as backup is always smart.

You can check your IRS online account instead. Go to irs.gov and look for "View Your Account." You'll need to create an ID.me account if you don't have one, but once you're in, you can see all the payments that were issued to you including all stimulus payments. It's actually more reliable than the old GetMyPayment tool was.

Thanks for this info! That's really helpful. Would it be better to wait until March then? Or is mid-February generally safe enough? I'm trying to balance getting it done early vs avoiding problems.

Mid-February is typically safe enough in my experience. By then, the IRS has usually worked out most of the early filing season kinks. March is completely fine too if you're not in a rush. Anytime between mid-February and the April deadline should give you smooth processing. Just make sure if you're filing a protective return that your statement is very clear about your intentions and the legal basis for your position. That clarity is more important than the exact filing date.

Yes, attaching a PDF statement works fine! I did this last year. Just make sure you title it clearly like "Form 1120-F Protective Filing Statement" and reference it somewhere in the return itself if possible. The IRS does look at properly labeled attachments.

Do these ghost preparers ever get caught? Seems like they're scamming a lot of people and the IRS should be all over this.

Yes, the IRS does prosecute these preparers when they catch them, but it's challenging because many operate informally through social media and don't leave much of a paper trail. They often use temporary contact information, prepaid phones, and don't properly sign returns as preparers. The IRS has been conducting a nationwide crackdown on fraudulent preparers, with some high-profile prosecutions resulting in prison time and heavy fines. However, they can't catch everyone, which is why they focus on educating taxpayers about the risks. Remember, even if a preparer completes your return, YOU are legally responsible for all information on it and any resulting penalties.

That's true, but most people making $78K like OP wouldn't qualify for EITC, right? I think there's an income limit that's much lower.

Thanks for mentioning this. We actually don't have kids yet, so I'm not sure if we'd qualify for the EITC. And honestly, I don't think either of us updated our W-4s after getting married - I didn't even know that was a thing we needed to do. Would fixing that help us for this year's taxes or just for next year?

You can still qualify for EITC without children, though the amount is smaller. It depends on your income level - for 2023 taxes, married couples filing jointly with no qualifying children can get EITC if their income is below about $24,210. Regarding the W-4 adjustments, unfortunately that would only help you for future tax years, not for the return you've already filed. But you should definitely both submit new W-4 forms to your employers right away to prevent this problem next year. When both spouses work, you often need to withhold at a higher rate than single filers to account for your combined income pushing you into higher tax brackets. The IRS has a Tax Withholding Estimator tool on their website that can help you fill out your W-4 correctly.

This is generally bad advice for most people. MFS rarely results in tax savings and actually disqualifies you from several tax benefits like education credits, child care credits, and earned income credit. It's usually only beneficial in very specific situations like when one spouse has income-based student loan payments or massive medical expenses.