What if I have not filed taxes in a long time?

You usually aren’t required to file a tax return for years when you did not work or did not work very much, unless you had a special situation like income from self-employment or gig economy work or if you bought your own health insurance through your State Marketplace. 

There are no consequences for not filing a tax return for years that you weren’t required to file, but it might be worth it to receive back any taxes that were withheld from your paycheck, or to see if you qualify for certain tax credits. 

If you were required to file, it’s encouraged to get caught up and get your prior year returns to the IRS to limit any additional penalties or fees. Our File with Help sites can generally help you file the current tax year and three prior years and some in-person locations may be able to help with older returns. 

If you were required to file a return in a previous year and haven’t done it, the IRS may contact you to get caught up. This IRS tool may also help you figure out if you needed to file or could benefit from filing a current or previous tax return.