Haven't filed taxes in 3-4 years - what happens now?

You're in a pretty common situation, so don't worry too much! Many people fall behind on filing for various reasons. When you file this year, you'll just file this year's taxes normally. Your past unfiled years won't directly affect this year's filing process. However, you should definitely try to get caught up on those previous years, especially since you probably have refunds waiting. H&R Block or another tax preparation service can absolutely help with unfiled back taxes. They deal with this situation regularly. For the missing W-2s, you have options - you can request wage transcripts from the IRS (they keep records of all reported income) by creating an account at IRS.gov or submitting Form 4506-T. Your previous employers might also be able to provide copies if you ask. Just be aware there's a 3-year time limit on claiming refunds, so if some of those unfiled years are getting close to or beyond that mark, you'll want to act quickly!

I was in almost the exact same situation last year - hadn't filed for about 3 years and was super stressed about it. I tried calling the IRS directly but kept getting stuck on hold forever. Then I found this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped me get everything sorted out. They were able to analyze my situation and help me figure out exactly what years I needed to file for and what documents I was missing. I uploaded the W-2s I did have, and they showed me how to get the missing ones from the IRS website. The best part was they explained everything in normal human language instead of confusing tax jargon.

Just wanted to update - I decided to try taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here and wow, what a lifesaver! I was worried about my multi-state situation but their system immediately identified which state returns I needed to file for each year. I got my wage transcripts from the IRS like they suggested and was able to see exactly what was reported for those missing years. They even helped me figure out that I was actually owed about $2,800 in refunds across the three years I hadn't filed! I'm kicking myself for waiting so long but at least I got most of it back. One year was just outside the 3-year window so I lost that refund, but that's on me. Just filed everything last week and already received confirmation for two of the years.

If you need to actually talk to someone at the IRS about your situation (which might be necessary if you're missing documents or have special circumstances), I highly recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I wasted DAYS trying to get through to the IRS on my own when I had unfiled returns. With Claimyr, they basically call the IRS for you and wait on hold, then call you when they get an actual human on the line. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Made a huge difference for me because I kept getting disconnected after waiting for hours when I tried calling myself.

Ok I have to admit I was wrong about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment I decided to try it anyway since I was desperate to talk to someone about my unfiled 2021 return. I've tried calling the IRS literally 8 different times and always got "due to high call volume" messages before getting disconnected. Used Claimyr yesterday around 10am, and about an hour later got a call connecting me directly to an IRS agent! The agent was actually super helpful and told me exactly what I needed to do about my missing W-2 situation. Can't believe I wasted so many hours trying to get through myself. Would've saved myself a ton of stress if I'd just used this from the beginning.

Don't feel bad about falling behind! I'm a tax preparer and see this ALL THE TIME. Here's what you should know: 1) For missing W-2s, you have options beyond what others mentioned. You can also contact your previous employers' HR departments. Most keep payroll records for at least 4 years and can provide duplicates. 2) If you used direct deposit for previous refunds, make sure you still have access to that bank account. Otherwise, you may need to provide additional verification. 3) Consider filing the oldest year first, then work your way forward. This helps if there are any carryover deductions or credits. Good luck getting caught up!

Whatever you do, don't ignore this problem any longer! I made that mistake and ended up with a tax lien that destroyed my credit score. Get caught up ASAP!

One thing nobody has mentioned yet - make sure you check if you qualify for any tax credits for those years you didn't file, especially if you had a lower income. The Earned Income Tax Credit can be substantial if you qualify. You could be leaving a lot of money on the table beyond just your withholding refunds.