What happens if you dont file taxes

The tax lien gives the IRS the right to the proceeds of any of your property. It can take up to 30 days from the time of your tax payment until the IRS releases the lien. If you have not resolved the tax debt at that time, the IRS can seize your property, including your house or car, and sell it to pay what you owe, or have your employer pay your wages to the government instead of to you.

But, this is only an extension for filing your taxes, not for paying what you owe. Payment plans are available that can minimize interest and penalties on your income tax return. If you do not receive them, contact your employer or financial institution to make sure it has your correct address. You are still responsible for estimating what you owe and filing on time. If you need to make changes, you can always file an amended tax return.

If you need help filing or paying, the IRS offers several free tax help options for low-income taxpayers, including help to file taxes online. The IRS can also set up a payment plan to help you avoid owing more than you already do or to help you pay the back taxes you owe.

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The tax-filing deadline is typically April 15 each year. The filing deadline can be extended to Oct. However, tax payments are still due by April Not being able to file on time can happen for a number of reasons, from simple forgetfulness to unexpected emergencies. Regardless of what may cause a person to miss the tax filing deadline, there are potential consequences. Again, the April 15 deadline is for making tax payments. Individuals can apply for an extension to file later in the year. However, if April 15 passes before you make your tax payments, there are a couple of different things that may happen, depending on your status as a taxpayer.

Most Americans get a tax refund after filing their federal and state taxes. This occurs when you have paid more in taxes over the course of the year than you owe. If you fall into this category, owing no taxes to the government or being owed a tax refund, then there is no penalty that occurs for not filing your taxes.

But I'm just gonna stay underground. And then it's a mess. Olson should know — she served as the National Taxpayer Advocate for 19 years before stepping down in In these cases, she says, "the worst thing that you can do is nothing at all.

The tax agency acknowledged that people's finances may be tight because of the pandemic, and encouraged taxpayers to get in touch.

The agency offers a guide for filing taxes if it's been a while, as well as a tool to find out if you're not required to file. If you've gone a decade without filing a tax return and nothing has happened, that doesn't mean you're off the hook. If you have any income at all, the agency can use that to essentially file a tax return on your behalf. Taxpayers have three years to claim their refunds for a given year before they expire. Whether or not you are expecting a return, the best course of action is to file your taxes as soon as you are able to.

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