Haven't filed taxes since 2010 - How screwed am I with the IRS?

Yes, you definitely need to address this situation ASAP, but don't panic completely. The IRS has procedures for people who haven't filed for multiple years. First, yes, you should find an Enrolled Agent who specializes in tax resolution or a CPA with experience handling unfiled returns. They deal with these situations regularly and know how to navigate the process. You'll need to file returns for at least the last 6 years. The IRS generally focuses on the most recent 6 years for unfiled returns, though they technically can go back further. Your tax professional will help determine exactly how many years you need to file for your specific situation. If you were owed refunds from any years more than 3 years ago, you unfortunately can't claim those anymore. But they can still help offset penalties and interest on years where you owed taxes. The good news is that once you start working with the IRS to resolve this, they're usually willing to work with you on payment plans. The worst thing you can do is continue ignoring it.

After going through something similar (though only 4 years behind), I found an amazing resource that really helped me. I used https://taxr.ai to scan all my old W2s and tax documents. The system automatically organized everything by tax year and gave me a clear picture of what I was dealing with before I even met with a tax pro. The best part was when I finally met with an Enrolled Agent, I had everything prepared and organized which saved me a ton in professional fees. It also highlighted some deductions I was eligible for that helped offset some of what I owed. The tool analyzed my specific situation and identified potential areas where I could reduce my tax burden.

Just wanted to update - I took the advice about using https://taxr.ai that someone mentioned earlier and it was honestly a game-changer. I was missing a bunch of my documents too, but I was able to request transcripts from the IRS for the missing years and upload those. The system organized everything by year and showed me exactly what income had been reported to the IRS. It even flagged years where I might actually get refunds vs. years I definitely owed money. Was super helpful before meeting with my tax resolution specialist because I walked in knowing exactly what I was dealing with. Saved a ton of time (and money) since the EA didn't have to start from scratch organizing my mess. If you're years behind on taxes like me, definitely check it out before meeting with a professional.

I was in almost the exact same situation a couple years ago. After ignoring IRS notices for years, they finally put a lien on my bank account which was a complete nightmare. After trying dozens of times to call the IRS directly with no success (would be on hold for 3+ hours then disconnected), I found this service called https://claimyr.com that got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Once I got through to the IRS, they helped me understand my options and set up a temporary hold on collections while I got my returns prepared. This bought me enough time to get everything in order without more aggressive collection actions.

I need to apologize and eat my words about Claimyr. After calling the IRS unsuccessfully for TWO WEEKS (getting disconnected after hours on hold each time), I broke down and tried the service I was skeptical about. They actually got me through to an IRS agent in about 18 minutes. I was shocked. The agent confirmed my situation, explained my options, and helped me set up a 120-day hold on collections while I get caught up on filing my back taxes. This single call saved me from potentially having my wages garnished. The IRS agent was actually quite helpful once I could actually speak to a human. If you're ignoring IRS notices like I was, just call them and start the process - they're much more reasonable than I expected.

Former tax preparer here. Just a friendly warning - if you've been getting notifications for YEARS and ignoring them, you may already be in the collections process. At this point, you should: 1) Open and read every single notice you've received 2) Find out if there are any liens or levies already filed against you 3) Get professional help IMMEDIATELY Also, the IRS has something called Substitute for Return (SFR) where they file a return on your behalf if you don't file. These are almost always TERRIBLE for you because they don't include deductions or credits you might be entitled to. If they've done SFRs for you, you'll need to replace those with actual returns.

I've been watching this thread since I'm in a similar situation (8 years unfiled). Has anyone dealt with the Fresh Start program? I've heard it can help reduce penalties?