What happens if I skipped one year of tax filing? Can I still file this year?

You're actually in a much better spot than you think! It's completely possible to file a late return, and if you were owed a refund, there are typically no penalties for filing late. Here's what you should do: First, go ahead and file your missing 2023 return as soon as possible. You can still claim your refund for up to 3 years from the original due date. So for a 2023 return (originally due April 2024), you have until April 2027 to claim that refund. For your 2024 taxes, you can absolutely file those on time this year without any issues. The IRS treats each tax year separately, so your current year filing isn't contingent on having filed previous years. The most important thing is to get that 2023 return completed. If you were due a refund, you won't face failure-to-file penalties. However, if you did actually owe money for 2023, there would be penalties and interest accumulating - so better to handle it sooner rather than later.

After going through almost the exact same situation last year, I found out about taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it literally saved me from a full-blown panic attack. I also missed filing one year because of major life upheaval, and when I finally tried to sort it out, I had lost some of my tax documents and wasn't sure about the right steps. The thing that helped me most was their ability to analyze old tax documents and clarify exactly what I needed to file my late return. You upload your documents (even incomplete ones), and they can make sense of your tax situation and guide you through the process step by step.

Just wanted to update everyone - I took the advice about taxr.ai and am SO relieved. I was nervous about facing the IRS after missing filings, but they made it really simple. They analyzed my old W-2s and even found some deductions I'd missed in the year I skipped. The best part was that they walked me through exactly how to file the late return and then my current year separately, so everything is clear now. Honestly much less stressful than I expected and I'm actually getting a bigger refund than I thought for that missed year!

If you need to talk directly with the IRS about your situation (which might be helpful if you're missing documents or have questions about potential penalties), you should try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I spent THREE DAYS trying to get through to the IRS about my own late filing situation before finding them. Their system got me a callback from an actual IRS agent in about 45 minutes, which was mind-blowing after all my failed attempts. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - but basically they navigate the IRS phone tree for you and secure a callback from an agent. I was able to verify exactly what forms I needed and confirm that I wouldn't face penalties since I was owed a refund.

Ok I need to eat my words here. After my skeptical comments I decided to try Claimyr just to prove it wouldn't work... and I got a call back from an IRS agent in 35 minutes. I'm still in shock. I've been trying for WEEKS to get through about a tax notice I received. The agent was able to confirm my missed filing situation (similar to OP's) wouldn't result in penalties since I was due a refund, and they even helped me request copies of my wage transcripts for the year I'm missing documents. Seriously can't believe this actually worked.

One other thing to consider - if you were an independent contractor or had any self-employment income during that missed year, the situation might be different regarding penalties. The no-penalty rule for late filing generally applies if you were only due a refund on W-2 income. If you had self-employment income, you might have owed self-employment taxes regardless of your income tax situation, which could mean penalties would apply. Just something to be aware of if your situation isn't a straightforward W-2 only scenario.

Has anyone used the IRS Free File options for filing prior years? Can you still use the free services for past years or do you have to pay?

Hey Mateo! Don't panic - you're definitely not as screwed as you think you are. Since you mentioned you were probably due a refund, you're actually in a pretty good spot. A few key points to ease your mind: 1. If you were owed a refund, there's no failure-to-file penalty for filing late 2. You have 3 years from the original due date to claim your refund (so until April 2027 for your 2023 taxes) 3. You can absolutely file your 2024 return on time this year - each tax year is handled separately My recommendation: File that 2023 return ASAP to get your refund, then focus on getting your 2024 taxes done by the April deadline. If you need help organizing your documents or figuring out the process, there are good resources mentioned in this thread, but honestly for a straightforward W-2 situation, most standard tax software should handle it just fine. The most important thing is to not let this stress paralyze you - you've got this handled!