Missed the April deadline - how do I file my taxes late for 2023?
So I completely dropped the ball and missed the April 15 tax filing deadline this year. I've never been late before and I'm freaking out a little bit. I have all my documents ready but I'm not sure what to do next. I was planning to use FreeTaxUSA like I did last year, but I'm confused about which tax year I should select when I log in. Do I file under 2023 or 2024 since I'm filing late? What exactly happens after I submit everything? Will I automatically get hit with penalties? How much extra am I going to owe? And can I still complete everything online or do I need to print and mail forms at this point? I really don't want to make this situation worse by doing something wrong. I really appreciate any help or guidance... I'm feeling pretty stupid about letting this slip by me!
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Liam Fitzgerald
Don't panic! Filing late isn't ideal, but it's a common situation with straightforward solutions. First, you need to file for tax year 2023 since that's the return that was due on April 15, 2025. The 2024 tax year will be due next April. FreeTaxUSA will still let you complete a 2023 return online. Yes, you can absolutely still file online. E-filing works the same way even after the deadline has passed. The IRS systems accept late returns electronically throughout the year. Regarding penalties: There are two main ones to be aware of. If you owe taxes, you'll face a failure-to-file penalty (usually 5% of unpaid taxes per month, capped at 25%) and a failure-to-pay penalty (0.5% per month). Interest also accrues on any unpaid tax. However, if you're due a refund, there's typically no penalty - you just get your refund later. The most important thing is to file as soon as possible to minimize any penalties. And if you're worried about paying what you owe, remember the IRS offers payment plans.
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Amara Nnamani
•Thanks for the helpful response. I have a similar situation but I'm expecting a refund. Will I still be penalized for filing late if the government owes ME money? Also, how far back can you file previous years' taxes if you've missed them?
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Liam Fitzgerald
•If you're expecting a refund, there's generally no penalty for filing late! The IRS doesn't penalize you when they owe you money. However, you should still file as soon as possible because there's a three-year deadline to claim your refund - if you wait longer than that, you lose your refund entirely. Regarding how far back you can file, the IRS generally allows you to claim refunds for tax returns filed within three years of their original due date. For tax liabilities (when you owe money), the IRS can still assess taxes going back several years or even indefinitely in cases of fraud, but you should file regardless of how late you are.
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Giovanni Mancini
After reading all these comments about filing late, I want to share my experience with taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) from last year when I was in a similar situation. I was super confused about how to handle late filing and wasn't sure if I'd filled out everything correctly. I uploaded my tax documents to taxr.ai and it analyzed everything automatically. It caught that I had overlooked some deductions that FreeTaxUSA hadn't prompted me for, and it confirmed I was filing for the right tax year. The peace of mind was worth it since I was already stressed about being late. For anyone who's nervous about making mistakes when filing late, it's a really helpful double-check before you submit to the IRS.
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NebulaNinja
•How does it work exactly? Do they file for you or just review what you've already done? I'm using FreeTaxUSA too but I'm worried I might miss something since I'm rushing to get my late return in.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•I'm skeptical about these tax review services. How do you know they're not just telling you what you want to hear to get paid? Can they actually help with the penalties for late filing or just the regular tax stuff?
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Giovanni Mancini
•It doesn't file for you - it analyzes your documents and existing return to verify everything is correct. You upload your W-2s, 1099s, and other tax documents, and it reviews them against what you've entered in your tax software. It caught a student loan interest deduction I had forgotten about and verified all my numbers were entered correctly. As for penalties, it analyzes your situation and explains what penalties might apply based on your specific circumstances. In my case, it confirmed I was getting a refund so I wouldn't face penalties, but it would show the estimated penalties if you owe taxes. It's more about verification than changing the penalties themselves - those are set by the IRS.
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NebulaNinja
Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai that the other commenter recommended. I was really nervous about my late filing and wanted to make sure I wasn't making things worse. The service found that I had entered my 401k contributions incorrectly which would have reduced my refund by over $400! It also confirmed that since I was owed a refund, I wouldn't face penalties for filing late (what a relief). I was able to go back into FreeTaxUSA, fix the issues it found, and submit my return with much more confidence. Definitely helped ease my anxiety about the whole late filing situation.
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Dylan Mitchell
If you're worried about getting answers directly from the IRS about your late filing situation, I highly recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in the same boat last year - filed late and had specific questions about my situation that online forums couldn't answer. I spent DAYS trying to get through to the IRS phone line without success. Then I found Claimyr and they got me connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes! You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent walked me through exactly what I needed to do with my late return and explained how my specific penalties would be calculated based on my situation. It saved me so much stress and uncertainty.
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Sofia Morales
•Wait, how does this actually work? I've literally tried calling the IRS multiple times and always give up after being on hold forever. Are you saying this service somehow gets you through the phone queue faster?
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•This sounds like BS honestly. The IRS phone system is the same for everyone. How could some random service possibly get you through faster than anyone else? Sounds like a scam to take advantage of desperate people who filed late.
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Dylan Mitchell
•It works by using technology that navigates the IRS phone system and holds your place in line. When they reach an agent, you get a call back and are connected immediately. It's not bypassing the queue - they're essentially waiting in line for you. They use a combination of automated systems and live operators to manage the wait time so you don't have to sit there listening to hold music for hours. When I used it, I got a call back after about 15 minutes saying they had an IRS agent on the line ready to talk to me. It was that simple.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
I need to apologize and correct myself about Claimyr. After dismissing it as a scam, I decided to try it myself because I was absolutely desperate to talk to someone at the IRS about my late filing situation. It actually worked exactly as described. I got a call back in about 20 minutes with an IRS representative on the line. The agent answered all my questions about my late filing penalties and explained how I could request an abatement due to my circumstances (first time being late). I was able to get clear guidance specific to my situation instead of relying on general advice online. I'm still shocked it worked so well after all my failed attempts to reach them directly.
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Dmitry Popov
One thing nobody mentioned yet - if you're expecting a refund, you actually have 3 years to file before you lose the money completely! The April deadline is mainly critical if you OWE taxes. I filed for 2022 almost a year late and still got my full refund. No penalties whatsoever. Just make sure you're filing for tax year 2023 (the one that was due this April) and not 2024 (which will be due next April).
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Mei Lin
•Thank you all for the responses! Does FreeTaxUSA charge extra for filing previous years' taxes? And would my state return (Colorado) have different rules for late filing than federal?
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Dmitry Popov
•FreeTaxUSA charges the same for prior year returns as current year returns - federal filing is free, and state returns cost around $15-20 depending on which state. The interface is slightly different for previous years but works the same way. State rules do vary. Colorado follows similar rules to the federal government - no penalties if you're owed a refund, but penalties and interest if you owe taxes. Colorado's late filing penalty is usually 5% of the tax owed plus 0.5% per month up to a maximum of 12%. If you're expecting a state refund too, you have 3 years to claim it just like federal.
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Ava Garcia
The most important thing here is to just file ASAP! I put off filing late once and it only made the penalties worse. Even if you can't pay what you owe right now, file the return anyway and then set up a payment plan.
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StarSailor}
•True! And don't forget you might qualify for first-time penalty abatement if you've had a good filing history before this. The IRS isn't always the monster people make them out to be. Call them and explain your situation after filing.
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Savanna Franklin
Just want to add some reassurance here - I was in the exact same situation two years ago and it really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Filed about 3 weeks late using TurboTax (similar to FreeTaxUSA) and the whole process was identical to filing on time. The key things that helped me: 1) File for tax year 2023 (not 2024), 2) E-filing still works normally even after the deadline, and 3) If you're getting a refund, you won't face penalties - just a delayed refund. I ended up owing about $200 and the penalty was only around $15 total. Way less scary than I'd built it up in my head! The IRS even sent me a clear breakdown of exactly what the penalty was for. Don't beat yourself up about it - life happens and this is more common than you think. Just get it filed in the next few days and you'll be fine!
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