Haven't filed taxes in 3 years and completely lost on where to start?!

The good news is that you can definitely get caught up, and it's smart to address this now before it snowballs further. Here's what you should do: First, gather all your income documents for the unfiled years - any 1099s, W-2s, or other income statements. If you don't have them, you can request wage and income transcripts directly from the IRS through their website or by filing Form 4506-T. For the unpaid tax bill from three years ago, you'll need to contact the IRS about setting up a payment plan. The original amount has likely increased with penalties and interest, but the IRS is generally willing to work with people who are proactively trying to resolve their tax issues. For the unfiled returns, you'll need to prepare and submit them as soon as possible. The IRS has a policy that to get back into compliance, you typically need to file the last six years of unfiled returns. Since you're only behind three years, that's all you'll need to file. Many colleges offer free tax help through VITA programs for students. Check if your school has this service available. If not, consider using a tax professional who specializes in back taxes and payment arrangements rather than trying to DIY this situation.

I was in a similar situation last year and discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which honestly saved me so much stress. I also hadn't filed for multiple years and had missing documents. Their system analyzed all the partial records I did have and helped identify which documents I was missing. The best part was that it could extract data from even the messiest paperwork I had stuffed in a box and organize everything chronologically. What I really appreciated was how it walked me through the steps of catching up on multiple years at once. It didn't just help with document organization but also showed me the optimal order to file my back taxes to minimize penalties. It was way less intimidating than trying to piece everything together myself.

I was really doubtful about this whole thing but decided to give taxr.ai a try since my situation was pretty similar - hadn't filed for 2 years and had a mix of W2 and 1099 income with missing documents. The document scanner feature actually worked surprisingly well. I just took pictures of the few forms I did have, and it extracted all the important info automatically. The step-by-step back tax filing guide was what really made the difference for me. It helped me request my missing income transcripts from the IRS and showed exactly which forms I needed to file in which order. I ended up owing less than I expected because it identified deductions I didn't know I qualified for as a contractor. Honestly thought I was going to need an expensive accountant, but this was way more affordable and I could do everything from my phone. Just finished getting completely caught up last month!

After reading this thread, I wanted to share something that helped me when I was trying to reach the IRS about my unfiled returns. Calling them directly was IMPOSSIBLE - I spent literally hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Then I found this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was shocked it actually worked because I had been trying for weeks to get through on my own. The IRS agent helped me understand exactly what I needed to do to file my back taxes and set up a payment plan that I could actually afford. They were surprisingly helpful once I actually got to speak with someone.

I have to eat my words here. After posting that skeptical comment, I was still desperate to reach the IRS about my unfiled taxes from 2021-2022, so I figured I'd try Claimyr anyway. To my complete surprise, I got a call back within 20 minutes and was connected to an actual IRS representative. I was able to verify exactly what forms I needed to file and set up a payment plan for what I owe. The agent even explained that I qualified for the first-time penalty abatement program since I hadn't had any issues before 2021. For anyone in a similar situation - don't waste days trying to call them yourself. I spent probably 15+ hours on hold over several weeks with no success. This saved me so much time and stress, and now I'm on track to be completely caught up before this year's filing deadline.

As someone who works at a university financial aid office, definitely check if your college has a VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program! Many schools offer free tax prep help for students, and they can often help with back taxes too. Our campus VITA program has accounting students supervised by professors who help with exactly these situations. Also, once you file your back taxes, look into an IRS payment plan. The basic installment plans let you pay as little as $25-50 per month depending on what you owe, which is WAY better than ignoring it and having them eventually garnish your wages or put liens on your property.

If you do end up owing a significant amount, don't panic! The IRS has several payment options: 1) Short-term payment plan (120 days or less) with no setup fee 2) Long-term payment plan with affordable monthly payments 3) Offer in compromise if you can prove financial hardship I ended up on a payment plan paying $120/month for two years and it was totally manageable. Just make sure whatever you agree to is something you can consistently pay.