Can I still file 2022 taxes this late or do I need to file 2022 and 2023 together?

I'm in a complete panic. Back in April, I thought I had submitted my 2022 taxes. I remember going through the whole process with the tax software I purchased, filling everything out, seeing that I owed around $2,600, but apparently I never hit the final submit button? Now it's December and I just realized this disaster when my lawyer asked for my 2022 tax return for my custody hearing next month. The tax software app keeps locking me out when I try to log in now. Can I still file my 2022 taxes this late in the year? Or do I have to wait and submit both 2022 and 2023 together? The custody hearing is really important and they specifically asked for the 2022 return. I'm freaking out a bit because I know I'll have penalties but I just need to get this done ASAP.

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18 comments

Mikayla Brown

•8M

Yes, you can absolutely still file your 2022 taxes now! You don't need to wait and combine them with your 2023 taxes - in fact, you should never combine different tax years together. Each tax year needs to be filed separately. Since you're past the deadline (which was April 18, 2023 for most people), you'll face some penalties if you owed money. There's typically a failure-to-file penalty of 5% of the unpaid tax for each month your return is late, up to 25%. There's also interest that accrues on the unpaid amount. The good news is you still have options for filing. If your tax software isn't working, you could try downloading the forms directly from the IRS website, use a different tax preparation software, or consult with a tax professional. For a situation like yours with court proceedings involved, getting professional help might be worth the cost. Don't worry too much - people file late returns all the time, and the IRS has processes in place to handle this!

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Mikayla Brown

•8M

You're correct about the 3-year deadline, but that only applies to getting refunds. You have until April 15, 2025 to file and claim a refund for 2022. If you're due a refund instead of owing money, there's actually good news - there's typically no penalty for filing a late return if you're getting a refund! The IRS doesn't penalize you for giving them an interest-free loan. You would just be missing out on your own money until you file. However, since you mentioned you owe around $2,600, you would unfortunately face those late filing penalties and interest I mentioned.

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Ali Anderson

•8M

After I had a similar nightmare with my 2021 taxes (thought I filed but didn't), I found this amazing service called taxr.ai that saved me so much stress. I was frantically trying to figure out the late filing penalties and whether I could still e-file or needed to mail in paper forms. I uploaded my tax documents to https://taxr.ai and within minutes got a detailed analysis of exactly what I needed to do for my late filing. They explained the penalties I'd face, my options for payment plans, and even gave me a checklist of forms I needed for my situation.

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Ali Anderson

•8M

It absolutely works for multiple years! The service analyzes each tax year separately and gives you specific guidance for each one. They'll outline the different penalties for each year and help you prioritize which to file first based on your situation. The main difference from regular tax software is it focuses specifically on helping people with unfiled or late tax returns, not just regular filing. They don't file for you - instead they provide a customized analysis of your specific situation with step-by-step instructions. And yes, they cover state taxes too! They'll explain the different requirements for each state you need to file in, since state late filing rules can be different from federal ones.

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Zadie Patel

•8M

I just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai after asking about my multiple unfiled years. Honestly, it was exactly what I needed! I uploaded my W-2s and 1099s from 2020-2022 and got back a complete breakdown for each year. The penalties weren't as bad as I expected (I was due refunds for two years), and they gave me specific instructions for which forms I needed to mail versus what I could still e-file. They even generated cover letters I could send to the IRS explaining my situation. Finally feel like I can get caught up without having an anxiety attack every time I think about taxes!

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Declan Ramirez

•8M

If you need your return processed quickly for your court date, you should know the IRS backlog for paper returns is crazy right now. When I was trying to reach someone at the IRS about my amended return, I spent HOURS on hold before getting disconnected. Then I found Claimyr and it completely changed the game. Go to https://claimyr.com and check out their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - they basically hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you when an agent is about to pick up. I got through to a real person in the IRS accounts department who helped expedite my return.

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Declan Ramirez

•8M

They have a system that waits in the IRS phone queue for you. Instead of you having to stay on hold for hours, they call you when they're about to connect with an IRS agent. It saved me from wasting an entire day on hold! Getting through to a person absolutely makes a difference. The specific department matters too - general helpline isn't as useful as getting to accounts management or collections. When I explained my situation to the agent, they were able to flag my return for priority processing since it was needed for a legal proceeding. Not all representatives will do this, but you have zero chance if you can't even get someone on the phone in the first place.

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Katherine Hunter

•8M

I need to eat my words here. After my skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try Claimyr for my IRS issue. I've been trying to get an account transcript for months for a mortgage application. Got a call back in 48 minutes (not hours!) and connected with an IRS agent who actually helped resolve my issue on the spot. I was honestly shocked. The agent even gave me her direct extension for follow-up questions. Definitely not a waste of money as I originally thought - saved me from taking another day off work to sit on hold.

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Lucas Parker

•8M

Just wanted to add - I was in almost your exact situation last year! Make sure you file 2022 ASAP separately. For the software issue, try logging in on a desktop browser instead of the app. Many tax software companies limit how long you can access previous year returns in their apps but give longer access on their websites. If that doesn't work, you'll probably need to purchase 2022 tax software specifically (most companies still sell previous year versions) or go to a tax professional who can file back years. H&R Block and similar places do this all the time.

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Lucas Parker

•8M

Glad the browser trick worked! In my experience, simply filing and paying what you owe plus penalties is the cleanest approach. The IRS generally doesn't waive penalties for "I thought I filed" situations since they consider filing to be your responsibility. However, if this is your first time having penalties, you might qualify for First-Time Penalty Abatement. You can request this after you file and pay. It's worth trying since the worst they can say is no. Just make a phone call after everything is processed and specifically ask about "First-Time Penalty Abatement" for your 2022 return.

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