Haven't filed taxes in 10+ years - how do I get back on track with the IRS now?

First, take a deep breath - you're not alone in this situation and it's absolutely fixable. The good news is you're taking the first step by acknowledging the issue and seeking help. Here's what I recommend: Start by requesting your wage and income transcripts from the IRS. You can do this online through the IRS website by creating an account, or by submitting Form 4506-T. These transcripts will show what income has been reported to the IRS under your SSN for those years. Next, you'll need to prepare and file the last 6 years of returns at minimum. The IRS generally focuses on the last 6 years for enforcement, though technically there's no statute of limitations on unfiled returns. Starting with 2018 forward is most critical since those are still within the refund statute (if you're owed money). Don't worry about getting every document perfect for the older years - make reasonable estimates based on the transcripts you receive. The goal is compliance, not perfection. Once you've filed the returns, if you can't pay what you owe immediately, you can request a payment plan. The IRS offers both short-term (120 days) and long-term payment options.

I was in almost the exact same situation as you a couple years ago (8 years unfiled, some 1099 income, anxiety through the roof). Honestly what saved my sanity was using https://taxr.ai to analyze my situation. They have this awesome transcript analysis feature that helped me figure out exactly what the IRS knew about my income for all those missing years. I was terrified of making mistakes on my old returns since I had literally zero records, but their system helped me identify which years I actually needed to file (turned out some years I was under the filing threshold anyway) and what income had been reported for each year. They even helped with estimating deductions I could legitimately claim but had no documentation for. The peace of mind was worth everything - knowing exactly what the IRS had on file before I contacted them made the whole process way less scary.

I was so skeptical about these tax help services, but I finally broke down and tried https://taxr.ai after being in a similar situation (6 unfiled years). I literally couldn't sleep at night worrying about the IRS coming after me, especially since I had no records from those years. Their transcript analysis completely changed my outlook - turns out for 2 of those years I was actually OWED refunds I didn't know about! And for the years I did owe, the amounts were much lower than the catastrophic numbers I'd been imagining. The service showed me exactly what forms had been filed by employers and clients each year, which made filling out the returns so much easier. Instead of the $10k+ tax bill I was dreading, my total owed for all years was under $3,500, and I easily got on a payment plan. Should have done this years ago instead of losing sleep!

In addition to filing your past returns, you're going to need to actually talk to someone at the IRS about your situation. Getting through to them is basically impossible though - I spent LITERALLY 6 hours on hold last month trying to set up a payment plan and eventually got disconnected. I ended up using https://claimyr.com after seeing it recommended here. They have this weird system where they call the IRS for you and then call you when they have an agent on the line. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was super skeptical but I got connected to an actual IRS person in like 25 minutes instead of spending my entire day on hold. Once I had a real person, I was able to explain my situation, set up a payment plan, and even get some penalties removed. Made a huge difference in resolving my situation.

I thought this Claimyr thing sounded like a complete scam until I was desperate enough to try it. After my 3rd attempt to call the IRS ended with me on hold for 2+ hours then getting disconnected, I figured I had nothing to lose. Not gonna lie, I was shocked when they actually got me through to an IRS representative in about 40 minutes. I was able to discuss my unfiled returns situation directly with the agent, who walked me through my options and helped me set up a payment plan once I got my returns filed. The craziest part was the agent told me they're actually trained to be more lenient with taxpayers who voluntarily come forward versus those they have to track down. Got some penalties waived just for being proactive about fixing the situation. Can't believe I waited so long because of phone anxiety.

I finished cleaning up a 9-year unfiled tax mess last year. One thing nobody mentioned yet - if your income was under about $12,000 for any of those years (the number varies by year), you might not have been required to file at all for those years. Also, look into whether you might qualify for an Offer in Compromise, which lets you settle tax debt for less than the full amount if you can prove financial hardship. The IRS has a pre-qualifier tool on their website. Don't beat yourself up too much - the fact that you're addressing it now is what matters. I found that being honest and proactive with the IRS went a long way. They deal with this stuff constantly and have procedures for handling it.

Word of warning: DO NOT just start filing returns without a strategy. I did this and ended up making things worse. I'd do these three things in order: 1- Get your transcripts like others suggested 2- Figure out which years you actually NEED to file (sometimes it's not all of them) 3- Consider filing the most recent years first, especially if you might be due refunds for any of them If the IRS has been levying your accounts already, you should definitely consider getting professional help. The free consultation with most tax resolution firms is actually worth doing just to understand your options.

Hey Caleb, I totally understand the anxiety you're feeling - I was in a similar spot about 3 years ago with 7 unfiled returns. The good news is that you're taking action now, which is the hardest part. One thing that really helped me was understanding that the IRS actually has programs specifically designed for people in your situation. Look into the Fresh Start Initiative - it's designed to help taxpayers get back into compliance with more flexible payment options and penalty relief. Since you mentioned severe anxiety, I'd suggest starting small to build momentum. Get your transcripts first (as others mentioned), then tackle just one or two recent years to start. Once you see it's manageable, you can work through the rest. Also, given that you've had some lean years financially, you might actually be owed refunds for some of those years. The IRS can't come after you for money they owe YOU, so identifying any refund years first could actually put you in a better position. The fact that you're being proactive about this instead of continuing to avoid it will work in your favor. The IRS is generally much more willing to work with people who come forward voluntarily. You've got this!