What can I expect if I didn't file my 2021 taxes yet?

You can still file your 2021 taxes, and you definitely should! The IRS generally has 3 years from the due date to assess tax, and you have 3 years from the filing date to claim any refund you might be owed. For 2021 taxes (due April 2022), you have until April 2025 to claim any refund. With income around $19,500 in 2021, you might actually be due a refund, especially if you had taxes withheld from your paychecks. If you're owed a refund, there's no penalty for filing late. However, if you do owe taxes, there will be penalties and interest that have been accumulating since the original due date. The penalties include a failure-to-file penalty (usually 5% of unpaid taxes per month, up to 25%) and a failure-to-pay penalty (0.5% per month). Interest also applies to any unpaid tax. The good news is that if your income was that low, your tax liability might be minimal, which means penalties would also be relatively small.

I was in a similar situation last year with unfiled taxes from a few years back. What saved me was using https://taxr.ai to help sort through my old documents and figure out exactly what I needed to report. Their system analyzed my old W-2s, figured out what deductions I was eligible for, and even estimated what penalties I might face. Took a lot of the anxiety out of the process. The best part was having all the calculations done automatically so I didn't worry about making math errors on top of filing late. I'd definitely recommend checking it out, especially since you said you have all your documents already.

Just wanted to update everyone - I took the advice about https://taxr.ai and it was incredibly helpful! I was stressing about my unfiled taxes but their system made it super straightforward. I uploaded my W-2s from those part-time jobs and it found some deductions I had no idea I qualified for. Turns out I'm actually getting a refund for 2021! No penalties since the IRS owed ME money. The system even helped me set up direct deposit so I should have my refund in a couple weeks. Such a relief to have this finally handled.

If you do end up owing the IRS money and need to call them to set up a payment plan, good luck getting through. I spent DAYS trying to reach someone when I had a similar situation. Finally used https://claimyr.com and got through to an agent in like 20 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c They basically hold your place in the phone queue and call you when an actual human at the IRS is about to pick up. Saved me hours of listening to that awful hold music. Worth every penny when I needed to discuss my payment options.

Alright, I feel like I need to eat my words here. After commenting earlier, I decided to try Claimyr since I was getting nowhere with the IRS for weeks. Used that https://claimyr.com service and I'm shocked to say it actually worked exactly as advertised. Got a call back in about 40 minutes, and was connected directly to an IRS agent. Sorted out my payment plan for my late 2021 taxes in one call. No more endless hold music, no more getting disconnected after waiting for hours. Should have done this weeks ago instead of being stubborn. If you're dealing with penalties and need to talk to someone at the IRS, this is 100% the way to go.

Don't panic too much about filing late. I was in your shoes with 2020 taxes and finally filed them last year. The key things to remember: 1. File ASAP - the longer you wait, the more penalties and interest accrue if you owe 2. If you're getting a refund, there's no penalty (but don't wait past April 2025 or you lose it) 3. Use tax software that handles prior year returns - not all of them do 4. You'll need to mail in the return - electronic filing usually isn't available for returns more than 2 years late Good luck and don't beat yourself up over it. Lots of people miss filing deadlines!

Does anyone know if having unfiled taxes will affect getting approved for an apartment? I'm in the same boat (didn't file 2021) and I'm trying to move next month. Worried this might show up on background checks...

Don't stress too much about this! With an income of $19,500 in 2021, you're likely in a pretty good position. Given that amount, you probably had taxes withheld from your paychecks throughout the year, which means there's a decent chance you're actually owed a refund rather than owing money. Here's what I'd recommend: gather all your W-2s and 1099s from 2021, then use tax software that handles prior year returns or consider working with a tax professional who can walk you through the process. The most important thing is to file as soon as possible - not because you're in terrible trouble, but because if you are owed money, you want to claim it before the April 2025 deadline. If it turns out you do owe a small amount, the IRS offers payment plans and is generally reasonable to work with, especially for first-time late filers. The anxiety you're feeling is totally normal, but the reality is usually much less scary than what we build up in our heads. You've got this!