Forgot to file my 2019 Taxes - what happens now?

So back in early 2020, I started doing my 2019 taxes and got all the way to the end where I discovered I owed something like $5,300. I freaked out because I honestly didn't have that kind of money just sitting around, and I had no clue you could do payment plans or anything. So I just... stopped and told myself I'd figure it out later. Then COVID hit, life went crazy, and I completely forgot about the whole thing. It's been years now and I never actually submitted those 2019 taxes. I just realized this the other day and now I'm panicking about what kind of trouble I might be in. Are there huge penalties? Can they come after me for this? Will this affect my 2025 refund? I'm not trying to dodge taxes, I seriously just got overwhelmed and then forgot. What should I do now to fix this mess?

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18 comments

Miguel Castro

•8M

Don't panic! This happens more often than you might think. The good news is you can still file those 2019 taxes now, even though they're late. The IRS generally has a 3-year window for claiming refunds, but there's no time limit on filing returns you owe money on. You'll face some penalties though - there's a failure-to-file penalty (usually 5% of unpaid taxes per month, capped at 25%) and a failure-to-pay penalty (0.5% per month). Interest also accrues on the unpaid balance. By now, these penalties have likely maxed out, but the interest continues. Your best approach is to file that 2019 return ASAP. You can still use tax software or get help from a tax professional who handles prior year returns. Once filed, you can set up an installment plan with the IRS - something you can do online for most amounts. They're generally very reasonable about payment plans.

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Miguel Castro

•8M

The IRS does send notices when they have information about income that wasn't reported on a tax return. However, they're often backlogged, and during the pandemic, their operations were significantly disrupted. Some people do slip through the cracks temporarily, especially if their employers and banks filed all the proper forms. The IRS prioritizes their enforcement resources, so someone with relatively straightforward taxes might not get immediate attention. But eventually, they do catch up - which is why filing voluntarily before they contact you is always the better approach.

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Connor Byrne

•8M

I went through almost the exact same situation but with my 2018 taxes! After spinning my wheels trying to figure it out myself, I found this AI tax assistant at https://taxr.ai that literally saved me hours of stress. I uploaded my old W-2s and 1099s from 2019, and it analyzed everything and showed me exactly what forms I needed to file and even calculated my penalties. The tool walks you through filing past-due returns step by step, and even helps identify deductions you might've missed that could reduce what you owe. For me, it found a couple of credits I had no idea I qualified for that brought my tax bill down by about $900!

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Connor Byrne

•8M

It actually guides you through the entire filing process with specific instructions tailored to your situation. The system identifies which forms you need, helps you fill them out correctly, and provides step-by-step guidance for submitting everything to the IRS. It's designed specifically for people in situations like yours with past-due returns. Regarding using AI versus a human professional, I completely understand the concern. What I liked about taxr.ai is that it uses established tax rules and regulations while being much more affordable than hiring a CPA. For my situation which was pretty straightforward, it was perfect. But if you have an extremely complex tax situation, you might want both - use the AI to prepare everything and then have a professional review it.

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QuantumQuasar

•8M

Alright, I need to eat my words about being skeptical of taxr.ai. I decided to give it a try since my situation was similar (unfiled 2020 taxes), and it was actually really helpful. The system analyzed my documents and found two deductions I would have completely missed on my own. It calculated my penalties accurately and gave me clear instructions for filing. What really impressed me was how it explained everything in plain English instead of tax jargon. The step-by-step guidance made the process way less intimidating than I expected. Just filed my past-due return yesterday and feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders!

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Keisha Jackson

•8M

If you need to talk to someone at the IRS about your situation (which might be a good idea), good luck getting through on their phone lines. After trying for WEEKS to get someone on the phone about my unfiled returns, I found this service called Claimyr at https://claimyr.com that got me through to an actual IRS agent in less than 15 minutes. They have this system that navigates all the IRS phone menus and waits on hold for you, then calls you when an actual human picks up. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. I was super skeptical at first, but when I explained my unfiled returns situation to the agent, they were actually really helpful about setting up a payment plan and explaining what penalties I was facing.

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Keisha Jackson

•8M

It doesn't jump any queues or use special access. The service basically calls the IRS for you and navigates through all the phone menus and long hold times. Their system stays on hold (sometimes for hours) instead of you having to do it. When a human IRS agent finally answers, the service calls your phone and connects you directly to that agent. It's definitely not a scam - it's just automating the frustrating hold process. Think of it like having someone else wait in a long physical line for you, then texting you when it's finally your turn. You're still going through the same system as everyone else, but you don't have to waste your day listening to hold music.

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Amina Diop

•8M

I need to apologize for calling Claimyr a scam. After multiple failed attempts to reach the IRS about my own tax issue (6+ hours on hold over multiple days), I gave it a try out of desperation. It actually worked exactly as described. Got a call back in about 45 minutes connecting me directly to an IRS representative. The agent I spoke with was super helpful about my unfiled return situation. They walked me through the late filing process and helped me understand my payment options. Saved me so much time and frustration! Sometimes it's worth admitting when you're wrong, and I was definitely wrong about this service.

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Oliver Weber

•8M

Just wanted to share my experience - I was in a similar situation with unfiled 2017 taxes. When I finally filed, I actually got a REFUND because I had overpaid through withholding, and the IRS doesn't penalize for late filing if they owe YOU money. Might not be your situation since you said you owed, but it's worth checking. Also, the IRS offers something called "First Time Penalty Abatement" that might help reduce some of the penalties if you've had a good compliance history before this. It won't help with the interest, but it could knock off some of the failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalties.

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Oliver Weber

•8M

You need to specifically request First Time Penalty Abatement - it's not automatic. You can do this after you file the late return and receive a bill. Call the IRS using the number on your bill and specifically ask for "First Time Penalty Abatement" for your 2019 taxes. For "good compliance history," the IRS generally looks for no penalties in the prior three years and that you've filed all required returns and paid (or arranged to pay) any tax due. So if you didn't have issues with 2016, 2017, and 2018 taxes, you might qualify. Even if you're not sure you qualify, it's worth asking - the worst they can say is no.

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