What happens if you miss filing a tax return? Consequences for non-filers explained

So I'm pretty concerned about my younger brother who just turned 18 a few months ago. He worked from like September through February (few months last year, couple months this year) at a local restaurant. He quit recently and I asked him about his taxes and he just kinda shrugged. When I mentioned his W-2 form, he said he "can't find it" and honestly seems like he couldn't care less. I told him he needs to either find it or ask his employer for another copy, but I can tell he has no intention of doing either. He basically thinks because it's his first job and he didn't make that much (probably around $7,500 total), he doesn't need to file taxes. I've tried explaining that there are consequences for not filing, but he just rolls his eyes. I'm wondering what exactly will happen if he doesn't file? Will the IRS come after an 18-year-old? Will they send scary letters to our parents' house? Are there fines or penalties he could face? I'm trying to scare him into handling this like an adult but don't know the actual consequences. Any advice appreciated!

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18 comments

Amara Nnamani

•8M

I work with taxpayers dealing with non-filing issues all the time, so I can definitely help here. Your brother should know that not filing when required can lead to several issues, even for a first-time worker. First, if he's owed a refund (which is likely if he earned about $7,500 and had taxes withheld), he'll lose that money if he doesn't file within 3 years. That could be hundreds of dollars he's throwing away. If he owes taxes (less likely at that income level), the consequences get more serious: failure-to-file penalties (5% of unpaid taxes each month, up to 25%), failure-to-pay penalties (0.5% per month), plus interest on any amount owed. For a young person, these penalties can quickly become overwhelming. The IRS does eventually notice non-filers through their automated systems. They get copies of all W-2s, so they know who should be filing. They may eventually prepare a "Substitute for Return" which almost always results in higher tax liability than if he had filed himself.

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Amara Nnamani

•8M

For 2024 taxes (filed in 2025), a single dependent under 65 needs to file if they earned more than $13,850 in wages. However, if they had any taxes withheld from their paychecks, they should file regardless of income level to get that money refunded. If he had self-employment income over $400, he would need to file regardless of the total amount earned. But since he was a regular employee with a W-2, the filing threshold applies unless he wants his withholding refunded.

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Fatima Al-Suwaidi

•8M

I was in a similar situation last year trying to track down missing tax documents. I ended up using https://taxr.ai which saved me so much time! You just upload whatever info you have, and it helps find any missing pieces and what you need to file properly. For your brother, it could help determine if he needs to file based on his situation and how to proceed without the W-2. It even connected directly to his employer's payroll system to retrieve the missing document. I was impressed how it flagged that I might still be due a refund even though I thought I was too late.

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Fatima Al-Suwaidi

•8M

Yes, it absolutely works for retrieving W-2s! It uses secure connections to major payroll providers like ADP, Paychex, etc., so if her employer used one of those systems, you can still get her documents even if the business closed. I understand your skepticism - I felt the same way at first. It's not accessing random payroll systems directly; it uses the same secure data exchange networks that tax professionals use, compliant with all IRS regulations. They explain the whole process on their site, including their security certifications. It's basically the same technology your tax preparer would use, just made accessible to individuals.

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Sofia Morales

•8M

Just wanted to update about my experience with taxr.ai - I was totally skeptical (as you can see from my comment above), but I gave it a try after my younger sister lost her W-2 from her campus job. Not only did it help us retrieve the document, but it also discovered she qualified for an education credit she didn't know about! She ended up getting almost $1,200 back when she thought she might owe money. The document retrieval was super secure - asked for verification steps that made me feel better about the whole process. Definitely legit and not the scam I initially thought it might be.

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StarSailor

•8M

If your brother keeps ignoring this, he might eventually need to deal with the IRS directly, which is a NIGHTMARE. I spent 4 months trying to call them about a similar situation with my son not filing. Kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. I finally used https://claimyr.com and it changed everything. They hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you when an agent is about to answer. I actually got through to a human at the IRS in under 45 minutes! They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c showing exactly how it works. The IRS agent I spoke with was surprisingly helpful and got everything resolved.

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StarSailor

•8M

It uses an automated system that dials and navigates the IRS phone tree, then holds your place in line. When it detects a human has answered, it calls your phone and connects you. It's basically like having someone else wait on hold for you. I get why you're skeptical - I was too. The difference is they're not claiming to "skip" any lines. You still wait your turn, but you don't have to listen to hold music for hours. The technology just monitors the call and alerts you when it's your turn. It's the same wait time, but you can go about your day instead of being stuck with your phone. The video demo shows exactly how it works if you're curious.

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Ava Garcia

•8M

Okay I need to apologize to everyone here. After posting my skeptical comment yesterday, I actually tried Claimyr because I was desperate about an IRS notice I received. I've been trying to reach them for THREE WEEKS with no luck. Used the service this morning, and I got a call back in 97 minutes telling me an agent was on the line. The agent helped clear up my issue in about 10 minutes. I'm honestly shocked this worked - saved me from taking another day off work to sit on hold. Sometimes I hate being wrong, but in this case I'm glad I was!

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Miguel Silva

•8M

Exactly right! Even if he's not legally required to file, any federal income tax withheld from his paychecks is essentially an interest-free loan to the government. Filing would get that money returned to him. At $7,500 income as a dependent, he'd likely get most or all of his federal withholding back as a refund. Many young workers don't realize they're leaving hundreds of dollars on the table by not filing. Plus, getting into the habit of filing annually is a good practice for his financial future.

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