How to check if I'm in good standing with the IRS after filing old returns

The IRS generally has a 3-year statute of limitations for assessing taxes, and a 10-year statute for collecting taxes already assessed. However, there's no statute of limitations on unfiled returns, which is important to understand. The best way to check your standing is to request a tax account transcript from the IRS. You can do this online through the IRS website by creating an account at irs.gov/transcripts or by submitting Form 4506-T. This transcript will show if the IRS has any record of missing returns or outstanding balances for those years. Another option is to call the IRS directly, though wait times can be lengthy. You could also request a "Record of Account" which combines information from your account and return transcripts, showing any assessments, payments, or penalties. Since you just submitted returns last week, give the IRS about 6-8 weeks to process them before checking your status. Once processed, your transcripts should reflect these filings.

Hey there, I had a really similar situation last year and was stressed about where I stood with the IRS. I found this tool called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that seriously helped me figure out my standing with the IRS. You upload your tax documents, and it analyzes everything to show where you might have issues or gaps. The most helpful part for me was that it showed which years the IRS still had records for and which ones might trigger red flags. Since you've already filed some returns but are missing documentation for others, it could help you understand whether those older years are likely to cause problems. Their system analyzed all my documents and showed me exactly what the IRS would see on their end. Gave me peace of mind knowing exactly where I stood.

I wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here. I was skeptical at first, but I tried it because I was in a similar situation with some unfiled returns from 8+ years ago. After uploading what documents I had, it actually identified a serious issue I didn't know about - the IRS had filed a substitute return for one of my missing years and assessed penalties I wasn't aware of. The analysis showed exactly which years needed my immediate attention versus which older returns were likely "off the radar." It saved me a ton of stress by helping me prioritize which tax issues to address first. The transcript analysis feature was particularly helpful for understanding what the IRS records actually meant. Definitely worth checking out if you're trying to get back in good standing.

If you really want to know your standing with the IRS, forget the waiting game and use Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in limbo for MONTHS after filing old returns, with no idea if I was still in trouble or not. Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. The agent was able to tell me exactly which returns were still showing as unfiled in their system and which ones they weren't concerned about anymore. You can watch how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. Basically it keeps redialing until it gets through, then calls you when an agent is on the line. For peace of mind, nothing beats talking to an actual IRS representative who can see your full file. They told me about two returns I thought were filed but weren't in their system, which could have become a huge headache later.

I need to apologize and correct myself. After calling out Claimyr as BS, I decided to try it myself since I've been trying to reach the IRS about my amended return for weeks. Shocked to say it actually worked exactly as described. Got a call back in about 40 minutes with an IRS agent already on the line. The agent was able to pull up my full tax history and confirmed which returns they had on file and which were missing. They also told me about a small balance from a tax year I thought was settled. Having that direct conversation with the IRS gave me certainty about my standing in a way that looking at transcripts online never could. For anyone wondering if they're in good standing, especially with old unfiled returns in the mix, getting a definitive answer straight from the IRS is invaluable.

Pro tip: For checking if you have any issues beyond just filing status, get your "Wage and Income Transcript" along with your "Account Transcript." The wage transcript shows all income reported to the IRS under your SSN for each year, which helps identify if there's income you forgot about. Sometimes the IRS creates "substitute for returns" based on reported income if you didn't file. Those can result in you owing way more than you should because they don't include deductions or credits you might be entitled to. This happened to my brother and he ended up with a $7,000 tax bill that should have been about $1,200.

The "good standing" concept is a bit misleading with the IRS. Unlike some agencies, there's no formal "good standing" status. Instead, there are just accounts with or without issues. Check tax account transcripts for all years you're concerned about. Look for "code 150" which means a return was processed. If it's not there for a given year, either no return was required or they're still looking for one. You can request a compliance check from the IRS collections department. You might also see if you qualify for the streamlined filing compliance procedures, which are more forgiving than standard late filing.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is the IRS Fresh Start Initiative, which might be relevant to your situation. This program offers various relief options for taxpayers trying to get current with their tax obligations, including penalty relief and payment plans. Since you mentioned the older unfiled returns are from years when you weren't making much money, you might also want to consider that if your income was below the filing threshold for those years, you may not have been required to file at all. The filing requirements change each year, but generally if you made less than the standard deduction amount, no return was required. Before spending money on third-party services, I'd recommend starting with the free IRS resources. You can create an online account at irs.gov to view your tax transcripts immediately, and if you need to speak with someone, try calling early in the morning (7-8 AM local time) when wait times are typically shorter. The IRS also has Taxpayer Advocate Service offices that can help if you're having trouble resolving issues through normal channels. For the years you're missing documentation, the IRS can provide you with wage and income transcripts showing what was reported under your SSN, which can help you reconstruct your tax situation for those years if needed.

Another angle to consider is checking if you received any notices from the IRS over the years that you might have missed or ignored. Sometimes people move and don't update their address, so important IRS correspondence gets lost. The IRS is required to send notices before taking collection actions, so if you never received anything about those older unfiled years, it might indicate they either don't have records requiring those returns or the amounts were too small to pursue. You can also request a copy of your "Individual Master File" (IMF) transcript, which shows a complete history of all IRS actions on your account. This is more comprehensive than the standard account transcript and will show if there were any automated assessments, notices sent, or collection activities you weren't aware of. One more thing - if you do find out the IRS created substitute returns for any of those older years, don't panic. You typically have time to file your own returns to replace them, and as others mentioned, your actual tax liability will almost certainly be lower than what they calculated. The key is addressing it proactively rather than waiting for them to contact you.

I went through almost the exact same situation a couple years ago - filed several years of back returns and was stressed about some really old ones I couldn't file due to missing documentation. Here's what I learned from the process: First, definitely get your tax account transcripts as others mentioned, but also request your "Record of Account" which combines multiple transcript types. This gives you the clearest picture of what the IRS actually has on file for each year. For those really old years where you didn't make much money, there's a decent chance you weren't required to file at all. The filing thresholds have changed over time, but if you were making close to minimum wage in retail, you might have been below the requirement. The IRS wage and income transcripts will show exactly what income was reported under your SSN for those years. One thing that really helped me was calling the IRS during the first week of March around 7 AM - way shorter hold times than later in tax season. The agent was able to tell me which years they were actually concerned about versus which ones were essentially "dormant" in their system. Don't stress too much about the older unfiled returns if your income was low. The IRS tends to focus their limited resources on cases where significant tax is actually owed. If you weren't making much money and likely didn't owe anything substantial, you're probably not high on their priority list for those ancient years. The key is just getting that definitive answer so you can stop worrying about it!