If I'm filing my 2022 taxes late in 2025, do I need to mail a check with my tax forms?
So I've waited way too long on this, but I'm finally getting around to filing my 2022 taxes now (I know, I'm terrible). The tax software I'm using is telling me I have to mail in my return instead of e-filing since it's so late. I've got two problems - first, I have no clue where I'm supposed to mail these forms. The software isn't super clear about the address. Second, I owe $14 to the IRS (yeah, just fourteen bucks), and I'm wondering if I need to send a check along with the forms or if they'll bill me later? Can I just stick the cash in the envelope with the forms? This is the first time I've had to mail anything to the IRS and I'm completely lost.
19 comments


Santiago Martinez
When filing late tax returns by mail, you definitely need to include payment with your return. Even though $14 is a small amount, the IRS expects payment when you file. Never send cash through the mail - always use a check or money order made payable to "U.S. Treasury." As for where to mail your return, it depends on your location and whether you're including payment. The mailing address should be shown in your tax software's printing instructions, but if not, you can find the correct address on the IRS website under "Where to File Paper Tax Returns." Different states have different mailing addresses. Since you're filing a 2022 return in 2025, you'll likely face some penalties and interest on that $14, so your total amount owed might be a bit higher. The IRS typically charges failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalties plus interest that compounds daily.
0 coins
Samantha Johnson
•Thanks for the info! Do you know if those penalties apply even for such a small amount? And will the IRS send me a bill for the penalties separately or should I try to calculate that myself before sending the check?
0 coins
Santiago Martinez
•Yes, penalties and interest technically apply regardless of the amount owed, though the total will be very small in your case. For a $14 balance with a 3-year delay, you might owe around $10-15 in penalties and interest. You don't need to calculate these yourself. Send your return with a check for the original $14, and the IRS will send you a notice with the additional amount due for penalties and interest. They'll give you time to pay that second amount.
0 coins
Nick Kravitz
I went through this exact thing last year! I had to file some old returns and was totally confused about the whole process. I found this service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped me figure out exactly what to do with my late returns. They analyzed my situation and gave me super clear instructions on where to mail everything and what to include. They told me I definitely needed to include payment with the forms and gave me the exact mailing address for my state. They even explained how to fill out the check properly (make it to "U.S. Treasury" and write tax year and your SSN in the memo line). Saved me so much stress and possible mistakes!
0 coins
Hannah White
•Did they charge you for this service? Seems like info you could get for free from the IRS website.
0 coins
Michael Green
•How does taxr.ai handle calculating penalties and interest? Did they give you an estimate of what the total would be with all the extra fees?
0 coins
Nick Kravitz
•They do have a reasonable fee, but for me it was worth it because they did all the calculations and explained everything step by step. I tried the IRS website first but got lost in all the different pages and wasn't sure which instructions applied to my specific situation. They gave me a detailed breakdown of all penalties and interest I could expect. In my case, they estimated I'd owe about $45 in penalties and interest on top of my original $200 tax bill. They were almost exactly right - the IRS notice I got later asked for $48.
0 coins
Michael Green
Just wanted to follow up on my experience with taxr.ai. I decided to try them after asking about it here, and I'm really glad I did! They gave me a complete breakdown of what I owed including all penalties and interest, which saved me from getting surprised by a second bill. The service analyzed my specific situation and told me exactly where to mail my return based on my state and the fact I was including payment. They even provided a checklist of everything I needed to include in the envelope so I wouldn't forget anything. One thing I really appreciated was them telling me to make copies of EVERYTHING before sending it - something I wouldn't have thought to do otherwise!
0 coins
Mateo Silva
If you're still waiting for a response from the IRS about your 2022 taxes, you might be in for a loooong wait. I've been trying to get through to them for weeks about a similar issue. Always busy signals or "call back later" messages. I finally used this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that somehow got me through to an actual IRS agent after trying for weeks on my own. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. They helped me connect with someone who could tell me exactly where to send my late return and confirmed I needed to include payment with it. The agent also told me that for amounts under $25, they sometimes don't even bother sending a bill for additional penalties if they're small enough, but it's not guaranteed - so better to be prepared to get another bill later.
0 coins
Victoria Jones
•Wait, how does this even work? Is this legit? How can they get you through when the IRS lines are always busy?
0 coins
Cameron Black
•This sounds like a scam. No way some random company can get you through to the IRS faster than calling yourself. They probably just connect you to scammers pretending to be IRS agents.
0 coins
Mateo Silva
•It works by using technology that continuously redials and navigates the IRS phone system until it gets through, then it calls you and connects you directly to the agent. It's completely legitimate - you're talking to actual IRS employees through the official IRS phone number. The reason it works is that most people give up after a few tries, but their system keeps attempting until it gets through. When you call the IRS yourself, you're competing with millions of other callers for very limited agent availability. It's not that they have special access - they're just more persistent than a human could be.
0 coins
Cameron Black
I need to eat my words about Claimyr. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try it myself since I had a similar issue with my 2021 taxes that I've been trying to resolve for months. No joke - I got connected to an actual IRS agent in about 47 minutes after trying on my own for WEEKS without success. The agent confirmed it was definitely a real IRS line and answered all my questions about my late filing situation. She told me exactly where to send my return (different addresses depending on if you include payment or not) and confirmed that I need to include payment with the return. She also mentioned that for small amounts like $14, they might not bother sending a follow-up bill for penalties if they're minimal, but it's their discretion. Honestly shocked this service actually worked.
0 coins
Jessica Nguyen
Everybody's giving great advice here but I just want to emphasize DO NOT SEND CASH in the mail!!! I made that mistake years ago and it never arrived. Write a check or get a money order. And definitely make a photocopy of EVERYTHING before you send it - your completed forms, your check, everything. That way if anything gets lost, you have proof you tried to file. And use certified mail with tracking so you have proof of when you sent it and when the IRS received it.
0 coins
Isaiah Thompson
•Should I write my SSN on the check? I heard that's what you're supposed to do but it feels weird writing my full social on something going through the mail.
0 coins
Jessica Nguyen
•Yes, you should write your SSN on the check - but only the last four digits for security. Also include the tax year (2022) and write "Form 1040" on the memo line. This helps the IRS properly apply your payment if it gets separated from your return. Writing this info on the check is actually a security measure to ensure your payment gets credited to the right account, so don't skip this step even though it seems counterintuitive.
0 coins
Ruby Garcia
Late to this thread but I work at a tax firm and have some insights. For anyone filing super late returns (like 2022 in 2025), here's what you need to know: 1) Yes, always include payment with your return if you owe 2) Make the check out to "United States Treasury" (not "IRS") 3) On the check: write tax year, last 4 of SSN, and "Form 1040" 4) Send it CERTIFIED MAIL with tracking 5) Keep copies of everything 6) Different states have different mailing addresses - check IRS.gov or your tax software for the right one For tiny amounts like $14, honestly, the penalties will be minimal - maybe another $10-15 total. The IRS might even decide it's not worth the paperwork to bill you for such a small penalty amount, but don't count on that.
0 coins
Natalie Chen
•Thanks for this detailed breakdown! This helps a ton. I'll definitely send it certified with tracking. Do you think I should wait for them to bill me for the penalties or should I call them after sending the return to see what the total is?
0 coins
Ruby Garcia
•Just wait for them to bill you for the penalties. There's no need to call them proactively - it'll just waste your time with their long hold times. They'll automatically send you a notice with any additional amount due, and you'll have time to pay it. If you don't receive anything within 3-4 months after sending your return, then you might want to call to confirm everything was processed correctly. But most likely, you'll either get a small bill for penalties or nothing at all if they decide the amount is too small to pursue.
0 coins