Help! How do I file my taxes late after missing the April deadline?
So I completely dropped the ball this year and missed filing my taxes by the April 15 deadline. Life has been insanely hectic with a new job and moving apartments, and taxes just slipped my mind until now (ugh, I know). I'm trying to use freetaxusa to file, but I'm a bit confused - do I still select the 2023 tax year even though we're in 2024? Also, once I finally submit everything, what happens next? Will I automatically get hit with penalties or is there some kind of process? And can I still do everything online or do I need to print and mail forms at this point? I've never filed late before and I'm freaking out a little about potential penalties. Any guidance would be super appreciated!
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Sofia Price
You're okay! This happens to lots of people. Yes, you'd still file for tax year 2023 since that's the tax return that was due on April 15, 2024. Tax years always refer to the year you earned the income, not when you're filing. You can absolutely still file online through FreeTaxUSA or any other tax software. The e-filing system remains open for late returns. After filing, if you owe money, you'll need to pay any tax due plus interest and penalties that have accrued since April 15. If you're getting a refund, you'll still receive it, but it may be slightly delayed compared to on-time filers. The most important thing is to file as soon as possible because the failure-to-file penalty (5% of unpaid taxes per month) is much larger than the failure-to-pay penalty (0.5% per month). The longer you wait, the more these can add up.
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Alice Coleman
•Does the IRS automatically calculate the penalties and interest or do I need to figure that out myself? Also, if I'm owed a refund, will they just subtract the penalties from my refund amount?
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Sofia Price
•The IRS will automatically calculate any penalties and interest you owe, so you don't need to worry about figuring that out yourself. They'll send you a notice if you owe additional amounts. If you're due a refund, you generally won't face penalties for filing late. The IRS doesn't penalize late filing when they owe you money - they only charge penalties and interest when you owe them. So you'd still get your full refund, although you might have to wait longer for it.
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Owen Jenkins
I was in your exact situation last year - totally missed the deadline by almost 2 months. I tried using TurboTax but got super confused about which forms to use for late filing. Then I found https://taxr.ai and it seriously saved me. You upload your tax documents (W-2s, 1099s, etc) and it figures out exactly what you need to file, even when you're late. It even flagged some deductions I was missing that ended up saving me enough that the refund covered my late payment penalties.
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Lilah Brooks
•Does it actually work with late filing specifically? Like does it calculate the penalties or anything? I'm almost 3 months late now and getting nervous about what I'll owe.
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Jackson Carter
•I've seen so many tax help sites but most of them are just glorified calculators. Does this one actually help with the forms and everything? And does it work if I'm self-employed with 1099 income?
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Owen Jenkins
•Yes, it absolutely works with late filing! It doesn't calculate the final penalties (the IRS does that), but it explains what penalties might apply in your situation and gives estimates so you're not surprised. It also shows you which forms are needed for late filing and walks you through the process step by step. It's way more than just a calculator. It analyzes all your documents and creates a complete filing package. And yes, it definitely handles self-employment and 1099 income - that's actually where it really shines because it finds deductions most people miss on their business expenses.
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Jackson Carter
Just wanted to update - I decided to try https://taxr.ai that was mentioned above, and wow, it was actually super helpful. I was worried about my complicated situation with multiple 1099s and some stock sales, but it handled everything automatically. It recognized all my forms when I uploaded them and even found a home office deduction I didn't know I qualified for. The best part was it gave me a clear explanation about filing late and what penalties I might face. Just submitted everything yesterday and it was WAY easier than I expected. Wish I'd done this sooner instead of stressing for weeks!
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Kolton Murphy
If you're filing late AND you need to talk to the IRS (which I recommend if your situation is at all complicated), good luck getting through to anyone! I spent 4 hours on hold last week and got disconnected twice. Finally found https://claimyr.com which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. They have this system that waits on hold for you and calls when an agent picks up. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - it's pretty wild how it works. My late filing had some complications with estimated payments I'd made, and I needed clarification on penalties. The IRS agent was actually super helpful once I got through.
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Evelyn Rivera
•Wait, how does this actually work? They somehow get you through the IRS phone system faster? Sounds too good to be true honestly. The IRS phone lines are notoriously impossible.
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Julia Hall
•This seems sketchy. Why would I pay someone else to call the IRS when I can just do it myself? Plus how do they have any special access the rest of us don't? I doubt this is legit.
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Kolton Murphy
•It's actually pretty straightforward - they use an automated system that dials repeatedly and navigates the IRS menu options for you. They don't have special access or a direct line - they're just using technology to handle the frustrating part of waiting on hold. When an agent actually picks up, you get a call connecting you directly to that agent. You absolutely can call yourself, but if you've ever spent hours on hold with the IRS (like I have many times), you know how much time it wastes. I was skeptical too, but when I calculated the value of 3-4 hours of my time versus their fee, it made complete sense. Plus no more frustration of waiting all day only to get disconnected.
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Julia Hall
OK I have to eat my words. I was the skeptic about Claimyr in the thread above, but after spending THREE HOURS on hold with the IRS yesterday and getting disconnected right when someone finally answered, I gave in and tried https://claimyr.com. The system called me back in about 25 minutes with an actual IRS agent on the line. I had questions about penalties for my late filing and payments I'd already made, and the agent sorted everything out. Saved me from taking another half day off work just to sit on hold. I'm still surprised it worked, but definitely glad I tried it.
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Arjun Patel
One thing nobody's mentioned - if you're expecting a refund, you have 3 years from the original due date to file and still get your money back. So for 2023 taxes that were due April 15, 2024, you have until April 15, 2027 to claim any refund. After that, the money goes to the government permanently. But if you OWE money, definitely file ASAP because those penalties stack up fast! The failure-to-file penalty alone is 5% of your unpaid taxes for each month you're late, up to a maximum of 25%.
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Mateo Warren
•Thank you for mentioning this! I'm actually expecting a small refund based on my calculations. So does that mean I won't face any penalties at all for filing late? That would be a huge relief.
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Arjun Patel
•That's right! If you're owed a refund, the IRS doesn't charge penalties for filing late. They're only interested in penalties when you owe them money. The only downside to filing late when you're due a refund is that you're essentially giving the government an interest-free loan for longer. And of course, you won't get your refund until you actually file. But there's no financial penalty for lateness when the IRS owes you.
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Jade Lopez
Has anyone here tried filing a paper return when late instead of e-filing? I heard the processing time is like 6 months for paper returns now. Is e-filing still an option even if you're months late?
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Tony Brooks
•I filed paper in July last year (for 2022 taxes) and it took almost 8 months to process! Definitely e-file if you can. The IRS accepts e-filed returns year-round for past years. The only reason to paper file is if you have some unusual situation that the e-file system rejects.
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