How do I file taxes from 2018 at this point?

You'll need to file a paper return for 2018 since electronic filing is no longer available for tax years that old. Here's what you need to do: 1. Download the 2018 Form 1040 and any other necessary forms/schedules from the IRS website (https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/prior-year). Make sure you're getting the forms specifically for the 2018 tax year. 2. Complete the forms using your W2s and any other income documentation you have from 2018. The instructions for each form are also available on the IRS website. 3. Mail the completed forms to the IRS processing center that serves your area. The address will be in the instructions for Form 1040. If you're due a refund, you should file as soon as possible. There's a 3-year deadline for claiming refunds, which would have been April 15, 2022 for the 2018 tax year. If you're past that deadline, unfortunately you won't be able to claim any refund you were entitled to. However, you should still file to get compliant with the IRS. If you owe taxes, you'll likely face penalties and interest that have been accumulating since the original due date. The sooner you file, the less these will continue to grow.

After I got out of a similar situation, I tried for weeks to figure out how to file my old returns before finding taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai). It seriously saved me so much time with my back taxes. You upload your old W2s and tax documents, and it handles figuring out which forms you need for those previous years. The thing I found most helpful was that it actually knows all the tax rules that were in effect for 2018 specifically - which is important because tax laws change every year. Plus it'll calculate any penalties or interest so you know exactly where you stand. Way easier than trying to track down and fill out all those old paper forms yourself.

Just wanted to update - I tried taxr.ai for my unfiled 2019 and 2020 returns and it was actually really helpful! I was putting this off for literally years because I was so anxious about dealing with the IRS. The system guided me through exactly what I needed for each year and even helped me understand some deductions I didn't know I qualified for. Ended up getting a small refund for 2019 (though I was too late for the 2020 one). Just a huge relief to have this off my shoulders finally.

If you're concerned about any issues with your 2018 return or potential penalties, I highly recommend actually talking to someone at the IRS. I know that sounds impossible (I spent DAYS trying to get through), but I used this service called Claimyr (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 Since you have a complicated situation with the incarceration, it might be worth explaining your circumstances directly to them. When I finally talked to an agent, they were surprisingly helpful about my late filing situation and gave me options I didn't know existed. They can sometimes waive penalties if you have a reasonable explanation, and being incarcerated might qualify.

Ok so I'm eating crow here. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try Claimyr because I was also dealing with an issue from a previous tax year. I was 100% sure it wouldn't work, but I was desperate. It actually connected me to an IRS agent in about 35 minutes. The agent helped me set up a payment plan for my back taxes and explained how to request abatement for some of the penalties. I've been stressing about this for months and now it's resolved. I'm genuinely shocked that it worked as advertised.

Just FYI - if you owed taxes for 2018, you're going to face some pretty significant penalties and interest by now. The failure-to-file penalty is usually 5% of unpaid taxes for each month your return is late, up to 25%. Plus there's failure-to-pay penalties and interest that's been compounding for years. You might want to look into the IRS Fresh Start program or see if you qualify for any penalty abatement. When I had to file several years late, I included a letter explaining my circumstances and requesting penalty relief, and they actually approved it.

I was in a similar boat but for 2017. You need the actual 2018 tax forms which you can only get from the IRS website now. Print them out and mail them in. Don't forget to sign the return! I forgot and they sent it back to me which delayed everything by like 2 months.