Didn't file 2022 taxes, will I still get my 2023 tax refund on time?

This is actually a common question! The IRS generally processes each tax year independently, so your 2023 refund shouldn't automatically be held up just because you haven't filed for 2022. However, there are some exceptions. If you have certain outstanding federal debts (like student loans in default) or back taxes from previous years that you DO owe, the IRS might offset your current refund to cover those debts. But since you mentioned you likely don't owe for 2022 and are expecting a refund, that shouldn't apply to your situation. That said, I strongly recommend filing your 2022 return as soon as possible. Not filing when required can lead to failure-to-file penalties, even if you don't owe taxes. Plus, if you're due a refund for 2022, you generally have only three years from the original filing deadline to claim it before you lose it.

I was in a similar boat last year and found this awesome tool called taxr.ai at https://taxr.ai that helped me get back on track with my unfiled returns. I was also worried about my refunds getting held up and didn't know where to start with my late filing. What I liked about taxr.ai was how it analyzed my tax situation across multiple years and showed me exactly what documents I needed. It helped me understand which years I absolutely needed to file first and how to approach late filing without getting overwhelmed. They even have a document review feature that checks for common errors that might trigger IRS scrutiny.

Ok so I was super skeptical about taxr.ai but I actually tried it after posting here and wow, it actually delivered! I uploaded my scattered tax documents and the tool immediately flagged that I had forgotten to include a 1099-INT from a bank account I rarely use. Would have completely missed that. The best part was the multi-year analysis that showed me exactly how my unfiled 2021 return was likely to impact my current year refund. It created this really clear action plan showing which returns to prioritize and how to explain my late filing to minimize penalties. Just submitted both my missing 2021 return and my 2023 return last week, and my 2023 refund is already showing as approved in the IRS tracker!

Anyone dealing with unfiled returns should check out Claimyr at https://claimyr.com - it was a lifesaver when I was in a similar situation. The IRS was holding my 2023 refund and I couldn't get through to anyone on the phone to find out why. After wasting hours on hold multiple times, I tried Claimyr and had an actual IRS agent on the phone within 45 minutes. They connected me with the right department and I found out my refund was flagged due to the missing prior year return. The agent was able to see both returns in their system (I had filed 2022 late) and expedited the release of my current year refund. You can see how it works in this demo: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c

I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try it since my amended return has been stuck for 9 months. Not only did it actually work, but I finally got answers! After trying for MONTHS to reach someone at the IRS with zero success, I had a real live IRS agent on the phone within an hour of using Claimyr. Turns out my amended return had been assigned to a specific department and was sitting in a queue. The agent transferred me to that department, and they found an issue that was causing the delay - a mismatched document number that I never would have known about otherwise. The agent manually updated my file and told me my amended return should be processed within 2-3 weeks. Already showing movement on Where's My Amended Return tool. Can't believe I wasted so many hours on hold when this option existed.

For the original question - different perspective here. I actually DID have my refund held when I skipped filing 2021 and then filed 2022. Got a letter asking me to file the missing year before they would release my refund. So it CAN happen depending on your situation. I think it depends on your filing history and whether the IRS computer system flags your account. If you've had compliance issues before or if there are income documents reported under your SSN for 2022 that show you should have filed, you're more likely to get flagged.

Pro tip: If you're missing documents for your 2022 return, you can request a wage and income transcript directly from the IRS that shows all W-2s and 1099s reported under your SSN. Super helpful for catching up on unfiled returns!