Can I still claim missed stimulus checks if I haven't filed taxes since 2018?

Thank you for the clear explanation. Do you know if there's any penalty for filing these returns so late? And can I use tax software for previous years or do I need to download old forms from the IRS?

For penalties, it depends on your situation. If you're due a refund, there's typically no penalty for filing late. However, if you owed taxes, there would be failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalties plus interest. The good news is if you qualify for the stimulus payments, those would offset any taxes owed and potentially result in a refund. You can definitely use tax software for prior years. Most major tax software providers offer previous year versions, though you might have to pay for them. Alternatively, you can download the forms directly from the IRS website - they maintain an archive of prior year forms. Just make sure you're using the correct year's forms for each return.

Does it handle self-employment situations too? My spouse had a small business and I've been putting off filing because I'm not sure how to handle all the 1099s and expenses.

I'm a bit skeptical about using AI for tax help. How accurate is it really? Seems like a lot of these services just give generic advice you could find on the IRS website.

It absolutely handles self-employment situations! The tool helped me organize my 1099 income and identify eligible business expenses I could deduct. It even created a Schedule C worksheet that made reporting everything much simpler. The best part was it explained what documentation I should keep for each deduction. As for accuracy, I was skeptical too, but it's definitely not generic advice. The recommendations are tailored to your specific situation based on the information you provide. It references specific IRS rules and publications, and explains why certain deductions or credits apply to your situation. I ended up getting a much larger refund than I expected because it found credits I didn't know I qualified for.

How does this actually work? Do they have some special access to the IRS or something? I've been calling the IRS for weeks and just get the "call volume too high" message.

This sounds like a complete scam. There's no way anyone can get through to the IRS faster than the general public. They probably just keep you on hold the same amount of time and charge you for it.

They don't have special access - they use an automated system that continuously redials and navigates the IRS phone tree for you. When most people get the "call volume too high" message, they give up and try again later. Claimyr's system keeps trying until it gets through, which can sometimes take hours, but you don't have to sit there listening to hold music. Regarding the skepticism, I felt the same way initially. But they don't charge you unless they actually connect you with an agent. I was connected in about 35 minutes, which was miraculous compared to my previous attempts. The IRS agent I spoke with was extremely helpful in explaining exactly how to file my back taxes and claim the missed stimulus payments. Saved me a ton of stress and potentially thousands in missed credits.

Do you remember what address you sent them to? Is it the same as the regular tax return address or is there a special one for late filings?

The address depends on your location and whether you're enclosing a payment. The IRS has different mailing addresses for different states. You can find the correct address in the instructions for Form 1040 for the specific year you're filing, or on the IRS website under "Where to File." Don't use the current year's address for prior year returns - always check the address for the specific tax year you're filing. And definitely mail each year separately with its own envelope and postage. I learned that lesson the hard way when my bundled returns took an extra 3 months to process.

The first stimulus payment could be offset for child support, but the second and third payments were protected from offset for child support specifically. So you should still get those even with child support arrears. Though they can still be offset for other federal debts.