Was July 15, 2023 the deadline to file 2020 taxes and still get my refund?
I'm freaking out right now and need some help. I just realized I never filed my 2020 taxes, and a coworker told me that the deadline to get any refund was July 15, 2023. Is that actually true? Did I seriously just miss my chance to get money back from the IRS? I had a bunch of personal stuff going on during 2020 and 2021 (who didn't, right?) and somehow never got around to filing for 2020. I'm pretty sure I'm owed a refund since I had way too much withheld that year. I remember I made around $52,000 and had something like $8,500 in federal taxes taken out. I've filed all my other years on time, but this one just slipped through the cracks with everything else going on. Is there any way I can still get my refund or am I completely out of luck now? And will I get in trouble with the IRS for filing so late, even if they owed me money?
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Gianna Scott
Yes, unfortunately, you're correct. For tax year 2020, the last day to file and receive a refund was July 15, 2023. The IRS generally allows a 3-year window to claim refunds, and that window closed for 2020 returns this past July. If you were owed a refund, you won't face penalties for filing late. The IRS doesn't penalize late filing when they owe you money - they only do that when you owe them. However, if you had self-employment income that year, you should still file to get credit for Social Security and Medicare contributions, even though you can't get the refund anymore. Also, if you had stimulus payments due to you from 2020 that you never received, those unfortunately can't be claimed anymore either.
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Alfredo Lugo
•Wait so does this apply to all years? Like if I haven't filed my 2021 taxes, do I still have time to get that refund or is it too late for that one too?
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Gianna Scott
•For 2021 tax returns, you still have time. The three-year window for claiming 2021 refunds will typically close in April 2025 (or May 2025 if you're in a federally declared disaster area that got an extension). So you definitely should file your 2021 return as soon as possible to claim any refund you're entitled to. For 2022 returns, you have until April 2026, and for 2023 returns, you have until April 2027. But I wouldn't wait - if the IRS owes you money, better to get it sooner rather than later.
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Sydney Torres
I was in a similar situation with my 2020 taxes and found this AI tool that actually helped me figure out exactly what forms I needed to file even after the deadline. It's called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it analyzes all your tax documents and tells you exactly what you can still do even with older tax returns. In my case, I found out I could still claim some business deductions from 2020 even though I couldn't get the regular refund anymore. The tool basically looks at your specific situation and tells you what options you have left. You upload your documents and it shows you what's still possible even after deadlines have passed.
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Kaitlyn Jenkins
•Does this actually work for past years? I have issues with my 2022 return I need to fix but I'm worried about making things worse by filing an amendment wrong.
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Caleb Bell
•Sounds interesting but skeptical. How exactly does an AI know tax law better than actual accountants? And how much does this service cost?
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Sydney Torres
•Yes, it absolutely works for past years. The system has all the tax rules going back several years, so it can handle 2022 returns and amendments really well. It specifically looks at what deadlines still apply to your situation and what options you have left. The AI doesn't replace accountants - it's trained on actual tax regulations and verified by tax professionals. It analyzes your specific documents and situation based on real tax code. I didn't find pricing information on their site since I used their free analysis option first, but the personalized guidance was worth it for my complicated situation.
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Caleb Bell
Just wanted to follow up about that taxr.ai site someone recommended. I was really skeptical (as you can see from my earlier comment) but I decided to try it since my tax situation was a mess. I had unfiled returns from 2021 and 2022 and wasn't sure where to start. The document analysis was surprisingly accurate - it found deductions I didn't know I could claim and showed me exactly what forms I needed. It even explained which deadlines still applied in my case. Way more helpful than the generic advice I was getting elsewhere. I'm still working through filing my back taxes, but now I actually understand what I'm doing instead of just guessing.
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Danielle Campbell
Everyone's talking about filing past returns, but nobody's addressing how impossible it is to actually get through to the IRS to ask questions or resolve issues. I discovered this service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual IRS agent in under 15 minutes when I was dealing with unfiled returns. Check out how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I had been trying for WEEKS to get clarification about my 2020 and 2021 returns, kept getting disconnected or told to call back. The Claimyr service basically holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is about to answer. I thought it was crazy at first, but I was desperate enough to try anything.
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Rhett Bowman
•How does this actually work though? The IRS phone system is notoriously bad. Does this somehow skip the line or something?
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Abigail Patel
•Sounds like a scam. How could some random service possibly get you through to the IRS faster than calling directly? The IRS doesn't have any special numbers or priority access.
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Danielle Campbell
•It doesn't skip the line or use any special access numbers. What it does is call the IRS and wait in the queue for you, using technology to monitor the hold music and automated systems. When it detects that an agent is about to pick up, it immediately calls you and connects you to that agent. So you don't have to personally wait on hold for hours. The system actually deals with all the IRS prompts and selections for you based on what type of help you need. It's basically automating the most frustrating part of the process (the waiting and navigating phone trees). There's nothing sketchy about it - you're still talking directly to official IRS agents through the normal channels, just without the hours of hold time.
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Abigail Patel
Alright, I owe everyone an apology about that Claimyr service. After calling the IRS for 2+ hours daily for a week and getting nowhere with my 2021 tax issue, I reluctantly tried it. Not only did I get through to an actual IRS representative in about 20 minutes, but they were able to help me resolve my unfiled return situation. The agent explained I still have time to file for 2021 and 2022 to get refunds, and gave me specific guidance on handling my missed 2020 return. The service actually works exactly as described - it just waits in the queue for you and calls when an agent is about to answer. Saved me days of frustration and I finally have clarity on what I need to do next.
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Daniel White
I had a similar situation with my 2020 taxes but found out something important - while you can't get a REFUND after the 3-year window, you CAN still file the return! No joke. You should always file even if you miss the refund deadline. Why? Because: 1) If you had self-employment income, filing lets you get Social Security credits even if you can't get the refund 2) Filing stops the clock on potential issues if you actually owed money and didn't know it 3) Having a complete tax record is important for loan applications, immigration, etc. I filed my super late 2018 return last year and while I couldn't get my refund, it cleared up potential problems and completed my tax record.
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Nolan Carter
•Thanks for this info! What about if you're pretty certain you're owed a refund but there's a small chance you might owe? Is there any risk to filing after the refund deadline?
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Daniel White
•If you file after the refund deadline and discover you actually owe money, you will unfortunately still be responsible for that amount PLUS all accumulated penalties and interest since the original due date. The "no penalty for late filing if they owe you" only applies if you're actually due a refund. If there's any chance you might owe, you should calculate your taxes carefully before deciding to file. The penalties for unpaid taxes can be substantial after several years - failure-to-file penalties, failure-to-pay penalties, and interest all compound over time. If you're uncertain, it might be worth consulting with a tax professional before proceeding.
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Natalia Stone
Can someone clarify if the deadline is actually July 15 or April 15 for the 3-year refund window? I thought it was usually 3 years from the April filing deadline, not July?
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Gianna Scott
•You're right to question this. For 2020 taxes, the normal filing deadline was extended from April 15 to July 15, 2020 due to COVID. When calculating the 3-year refund statute of limitations, the IRS counts from the actual filing deadline for that particular year. So for 2020 returns, the last day to claim refunds was July 15, 2023 (3 years from the extended July 15, 2020 deadline). For most other tax years, the 3-year window would end in April (3 years from the typical April deadline). Just to be clear for everyone: - 2021 tax refunds: claim by April 15, 2025 (or May 17, 2025 in some cases) - 2022 tax refunds: claim by April 15, 2026 - 2023 tax refunds: claim by April 15, 2027
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Natalia Stone
•Thanks for explaining! That makes sense why it was July specifically for 2020. Sucks for OP but glad to know the exact dates for other years.
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