- quote -

She can obtain copies of her Forms W-2 and 1099 from IRS for no charge. The
copies IRS will furnish do not include any state tax information however.

As of May 19, 2008, IRS began maintaining 9 years of information returns,
i.e., Forms W-2 and 1099, on its Information Returns Masterfile. Currently,
years 1999 through 2007 are available. The easiest way to request copies is
to submit a Form 4506-T. She will need to sumit multiple copies of the form
for the number of years data she needs. Up to three years can be requested
on one form.

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506t.pdf

For information return transcripts, she needs to check the box to the right
of line 8.

She also probably needs to complete an IRS Form 8822 to request IRS update
her address.

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8822.pdf

If and when she gets this far, tell her to take the transcripts to a local
CPA or EA.


Condor

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<< ------------------------------------------------------- > << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, > << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties > << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts > << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy > << are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. > << ------------------------------------------------------- >

You should be able to file prior year taxes. Some online filing
resources even offer to do prior year returns for free.


http://www.qcktax.com/file_prior_year_taxes.php

--
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LB wrote:
- quote -

I know a guy who did something like this (me). About 42 years ago, I
started to fill out my tax returns on the last day before the deadline
and couldn't find my tax papers. Since filing the next day would be
late, I was afraid I would be in trouble for filing late so I didn't
file at all. This went on for about 15 years. I think about the 13th
year, I received a letter from the IRS about filing my taxes. I ignored
the letter and didn't hear anymore. After the 15th year, I married a
woman that had always filed her taxes. She didn't know about my
situation and I didn't tell her. When tax filing time came around, I
filed jointly with her and although I did a lot of worrying everything
went through fine. It is now 25 years since I started filing again and
have never heard a thing from the IRS about it. I divorced her after 11
years but kept on filing every year. If I hadn't of married her, I
probably still wouldn't be filling unless they would have eventually
came and hauled me in.

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"Benjamin Yazersky CPA" <byaz55[at]lycos.com> wrote in message
news:79fb7347-ef2e-4781-ac7d-73787db74577[at]q33g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
- quote -

True. Does she recall ever seeing a letter from the IRS?

If she's never filed, she's probably not in their system (as a taxpayer). I
never saw an SFR case for someone who had never filed in his/her lifetime.

- quote -

Irrevelent. SFR's don't start any periods of limitation. The 3 year rule
(from the due date) for claiming a refund still applies.

- quote -

That much is certain. ;-)

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<< ------------------------------------------------------- > << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, > << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties > << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts > << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy > << are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. > << ------------------------------------------------------- >

- quote -

the returns won't get mailed out.

I may be too cynical but the previous non-filers I had to deal with spoiled
it for all the other "Good" non-filers.






"Benjamin Yazersky CPA" <byaz55[at]lycos.com> wrote in message
news:79fb7347-ef2e-4781-ac7d-73787db74577[at]q33g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
- quote -


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<< ------------------------------------------------------- > << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, > << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties > << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts > << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy > << are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. > << ------------------------------------------------------- >

On Feb 19, 9:42 pm, Bob Sandler <bob_use...[at]yahoo.com> wrote:
- quote -


To add a thing or two here....

The IRS may have already produced substitute for returns (sfr) based
on third party (employer, bank etc) reporting.

There may be statute of limitation issues getting refunds for old
years if there are sfr's in the system.

If there are no sfr's or other IRS notices, the IRS will deal with you
less harshly if you come forward before being contacted by the IRS.

.... Then there will likely be state tax issues to deal with

Probably better to have a CPA or EA help you here.


___________________________________
<<< Benjamin Yazersky, CPA [NJ & NY] > > -----> real address on hobokeni or hobokenx <-----





"This written advice was not intended or written to be used, and it
cannot
be used by any taxpayer, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that
may be
imposed on the taxpayer."

(The foregoing legend has been affixed pursuant to U.S. Treasury
Regulations
governing tax practice.)





The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity
to
which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged
material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of,
or
taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or
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this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from
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<< ------------------------------------------------------- > << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, > << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties > << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts > << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy > << are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. > << ------------------------------------------------------- >

- quote -

She cannot file amended returns because she never filed
returns in the first place. There is nothing to amend. She
can file original returns going back as far as she likes,
but if they show refunds, she will only get the refunds for
2004 and later (and for 2004 only if filed by April 15,
2008). Any earlier refunds are lost.

The OP said she is young, but he didn't say how long she has
been working and not filing. If she is very young, maybe the
problem doesn't go back many years.

Bob Sandler

--
<< ------------------------------------------------------- > << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, > << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties > << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts > << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy > << are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. > << ------------------------------------------------------- >

On Feb 18, 10:19*pm, LB <zip...[at]yahoo.com> wrote:

- quote -

In addition to what Paultry said:

The failure to file penalty is 5% to 25% of the unpaid tax. See
http://www.irstaxattorney.com/penalty.html for a list of penalties.

If all of her income is from W2 wages and her withholdings are
correct, chances are that she will be getting money back from the
government. This is a refund of excess taxes withheld in her
paychecks.

She can file amended returns for the last 3 years, Since today is
2/19/2008, I think she can file amended retrurns for 2004 (due date
was 4/15/2005, so last day to file an amended return for 2004 is
4/15/2008), 2005, 2006. Be aware that there may be a limit on the
refund due to the "the credit or refund
cannot be more than the part of the tax paid within the 3-year period
(plus any extension of time for filing your return)" rule.

--
<< ------------------------------------------------------- > << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, > << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties > << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts > << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy > << are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. > << ------------------------------------------------------- >

LB wrote:
- quote -

Lots of folks have been here before. She can run, but she
can't hide forever, though if her W-2 earnings and
withholding are such that she would not owe any tax, there
may never be a systemic pursuit of her delinquent returns.
Absent fraud, IRS generally won't solicit delinquent returns
more than six years old.

If she can't or won't do this by herself, she can hire an EA
or CPA to do it for her. Go to the nearest IRS office,
request IRPTR transcripts (described further here:
http://www.irs.gov/irm/part5/ch01s11.html) for the past six
years. These will be available to her within one to two
weeks after request, and will show W-2 and 1099 income and
withholding reported to IRS by her employers. If the IRS
person working the counter doesn't understand what she
needs, speak to a supervisor who does. While there, get
blank Form 1040s and instructions for the past six years.
Get the required blank state tax forms and instructions
from her state tax agency. Try to get 2007 W-2s from 2007
employers as they probably won't be available via the IRPTR
route until late in 2008. Prepare returns. If they show
refunds or tax due that she can pay, file and pay them. If
they show tax due that she can't pay, and she has not done
so already, she should immediately retain a competent tax
professional to advise and represent her.

--
<< ------------------------------------------------------- > << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, > << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties > << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts > << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy > << are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. > << ------------------------------------------------------- >

I ran into a situation. A relative of a friend of mine is a young
lady who frankly just doesn't have her stuff together. She isn't very
responsible in her behavior. It seems that she hasn't filed a state
or federal tax return ever. She has always just thrown every document
she has gotten away in the trash. Couldn't be bothered with paper..
its too difficult to keep track of that stuff. She's had numerous
jobs most of which I'm sure were paid via paycheck.

She has no clue if she gets money back or if she owes money to either
US federal govt. or state.

Questions:
--What is likely to happen in her future if this continues? Will
somebody come knocking on her door someday? If so, who? and when?

--Is there any way to clean this up? How does one go about re-
creating all of the annual income statements? My thoughts are she will
have to go back to her employers and ask for W2's from history. How
far back should she go if she is serious about cleaning this mess up?
Has anyone ever tried to get copies of W2 forms on file with the IRS
(where no income tax return was filed?)

Looking thru old google cache, I did find this:

1.6 IRS Procedures: Copies & Transcripts

The quickest way to obtain a copy of a prior year Form W-2 (PDF) is
through your employer. If that is not possible, you can order and pay
for copies of your entire return (attachments include Form W-2 (PDF))
from IRS, or order Form W-2 (PDF) information at no charge from the
IRS. The IRS can provide Form W-2 (PDF) information for up to 10
years. Information for the current year is generally not available
until the year after it is filed with the IRS. For example, Form W-2
(PDF) information for 2005, filed in 2006, will not be available from
IRS until 2007.

To receive a copy of your return or transcript, complete and mail Form
4506 (PDF), Request for Copy of Tax Return or Form 4506-T (PDF)
Request for Transcript of Tax Return. You should allow 60 calendar
days for a response.


Has anybody been here before? How would you advise my friend's
niece? (Or should I just run away, fast?)

thanks,
Zip

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<< ------------------------------------------------------- > << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, > << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties > << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts > << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy > << are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. > << ------------------------------------------------------- >