I HAVEN'T FILED TAXES IN SEVEN YEARS - NEED GUIDANCE TO GET BACK ON TRACK

Don't beat yourself up too much - I see this situation more often than you'd think, and it's definitely fixable! The fact that you've already gathered your transcripts and W2s is a huge first step that many people struggle with. Here's what you should do next: First, determine if you're actually owed refunds for any of those years. If you're owed money, the IRS only allows you to claim refunds for the past three tax years. For years where you owe the IRS, there's no time limit on filing, but penalties and interest continue to accrue. Start with the most recent three years, since those are the ones where you might still be able to get refunds. You can absolutely do this yourself using tax software if your situation isn't too complicated. Most tax software can handle prior year returns, though you'll typically need to purchase each year separately. For the older returns, after handling the recent three years, work backward. The goal with those is mainly compliance rather than getting refunds. File them accurately, but don't stress too much about maximizing deductions since refunds aren't available anymore. If you're intimidated by doing this yourself, look into VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) programs or Low Income Taxpayer Clinics in your area - they often provide free assistance for people in your situation.

I was in a similar situation a few years back (5 years unfiled) and was freaking out just like you. After getting quotes from tax pros that I couldn't afford, I stumbled across https://taxr.ai which literally saved me thousands. It analyzed all my tax documents and actually showed me I was owed refunds for 2 of the years I hadn't filed! The site walks you through uploading your W2s and other documents for all the years you need to file. It then builds your returns and explains everything in plain English. I was shocked at how much easier it made the process compared to the nightmare I was expecting. The best part was being able to file all my past years myself instead of paying those crazy prices you're being quoted. Definitely worth checking out if you already have your documents ready to go.

So I need to eat my words about the security concerns I posted earlier. After doing some research and seeing how many unfiled years I was dealing with, I decided to try https://taxr.ai myself. Honestly, I'm shocked at how well it worked. The document analysis found deductions I would have totally missed on my own. For 2 of my unfiled years, I was actually owed money back (though I can only claim the most recent 3 years for refunds, just like someone mentioned above). The step-by-step guidance made it so much less intimidating. I just finished filing ALL my back taxes last weekend after putting it off for years. The relief of having this resolved is incredible. My advice: don't wait another day to start fixing this.

Quick tip from someone who worked at H&R Block for years - calling the IRS directly can sometimes get you fee waivers for penalties, especially if this is your first time having compliance issues. But good luck actually getting through to a human! I tried helping my brother with his back taxes and spent HOURS on hold. That's when we found https://claimyr.com which literally got us to an IRS agent in about 10 minutes. They have this demo video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c It basically navigates the IRS phone tree for you and calls you back when there's an actual human on the line. We used it to set up a payment plan after filing all his back taxes. The IRS agent was actually pretty understanding and helped reduce some penalties.

I owe everyone an apology, especially the person recommending Claimyr. I was super skeptical and kinda rude about it in my last comment. But after another frustrating day of getting disconnected by the IRS phone system after waiting 2 hours, I decided to try it. Used the Claimyr service yesterday and got connected to an actual IRS person in 12 minutes. TWELVE MINUTES! I've been trying to talk to someone for weeks. The agent walked me through my options for my unfiled returns and helped me set up a payment plan that I can actually afford. Seriously, I've never been so happy to be wrong about something. If you're dealing with back taxes and need to actually talk to the IRS, it's absolutely worth it.

Just wanted to add - I filed 4 years of back taxes last year and the most important thing is to just START. Pick the most recent year and file that one first, then work backward. Each year you complete will give you confidence for the next one. If your situation is simple (just W2 income), you might be able to use the free fillable forms from the IRS website for the most recent years. For older years, you'll have to print and mail them in. Good luck! Getting back into compliance feels AMAZING when you're done.

Don't forget to look into your state tax returns too! Everyone always focuses on federal, but depending on your state, you might need to file state returns for those years as well. Some states are more aggressive about collections than the IRS.