October 28, 2020
We get asked this one all the time. It's simple. What years are not filed? Grab an envelope or box for each year. You start by gathering all of your tax documents and information and separate them by tax year. Be as thorough as possible. This should include any income items such as W2's or 1099's (100-MISC, 1099-INT, 1099-k, 1099-DIV, 1099-B, ect) that you have received. Bank statements can be useful too. You will need your personal information such as your last filed return. Social security numbers for you and your spouse and any dependents. You will also need any deduction items. Retirement account contributions, educational expenses, medical bills, property taxes, medical bills, charitable donations (cash and property), state and local taxes, etc. You may qualify for the american opportunity credit, lifetime learning credit, child tax and earned income credit, child care costs are deductible and the retirement savings credit. Do not worry if you are going to owe a large amount in back taxes interest and penalties. Penalty abatement and interest reduction is very common, as well as, many other tax resolution options. This is a great start to getting rid of the heavy feeling of having years of back taxes due.