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UPDATE/EDIT/CLARIFICATION:
This is the SECOND year in a row that I filed taxes on time. I thought it was the FIRST time.
I'm so vague, that I didn't even realize it. Was going through old records and discovered that I filed on time last year, too!
I filed on time this year in April 2010.
AND
I filed on time last year in April 2009.
The PRIOR time I filed taxes on TIME was in 1977.
April, nineteen seventy-seven.
Then ...
I went for 27 years without filing taxes at all.
TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS.
No filing at all.
I was getting horrible threatening letters, which I sometimes didn't even open. I ignored them. I let them get buried in piles.
I was terrified.
After being in the Debtors Anonymous program for a few years, I decided to face the truth.
In 2005, I filed for the years 2003.
But my prior return was from 1976.
Nothing in between.
I was terrified of the IRS, and had been getting threatening letters, but I chose to begin to deal with things.
I didn't file for 2004-2006
In February 2007, I filled out tax forms for 2004-2005, but didn't mail them.
I learned from someone at Squalor Survivors that I was actually entitled to a special credit for one recent year, and made up an amended return for that year.
But I didn't mail that form. Instead, I went into the federal tax office, in person, to hand them the 2004 & 2005 forms and ...
I just said, "
Here I am, it's now April 2007, here are my 2004 and 2005 forms ...
and ... oh, by the way .... I have 27 years of unfiled taxes and I've been getting letters from you." And I just asked for help.
The IRS gentleman said that all my old debts were past the statute of limitations. I said "What?!?!?!?" (because I had been getting letters, although no recent letters).
The gentleman said that the date had just past ... a month before I had walked in there. I had no idea and my timing was purely coincidental.
I said "But I should pay! How much do I owe?"
He said my debts were so old that
they had been deleted from the system.
Most of my life, I was owed a refund, and there was no penalty for those years. I lost all refunds over 3 years old, but I wasn't penalized for not filing, either.
The fines and penalties were only for the years where I had OWED money, and those years were past the statute of limitations.
I said: "But how much do i owe?"
He said: "Go home, lady!".
I said "But ...."
I gave him the forms I had brought with me, for 2004 and 2005.
And he sent me home.
In April 2007, I received a refund check from the IRS for the prior year amended return. With interest!
I had been afraid of the IRS for the previous 30 years. And now I was home free.
Well, I was still behind by a couple of years, but I was no longer afraid.
I posted the above story on the former forums at Squalor Survivors.
Thought I would tell the full story here, too.
UPDATE:In October 2008, I filed my 2006 and 2007 returns. For one of those years, I had a good job and great income, owed taxes. And hadn't filed an extension. So when I did file, I had penalties and interest. Thankfully I had the money to pay in full.
In April 2009, I filed my 2008 taxes. On Time.
First time since 1977 that I had filed on time!
Next Update:
On April 15, 2010, I filed my 2009 taxes. On Time.
I did it at H&R Block.
The lady at H&R Block asked "How do you usually file? With a tax preparer? By yourself? Online? Pen and paper and postal mail?"
I sat there for a full minute without replying.
I was stumped by the wording she used: "How do you usually file?"
I've never "USUALLY filed"!
I'm 52 years old and have only filed taxes a few times. Franticly.
I didn't tell her that.
I just said: "I file via pen and paper and postal mail".
This year, I filed
ON TIME for the first time in my life.
I had to struggle with some paperwork lost in clutter, and stressed about doing things perfectly.
I talked to friends here at SOS chat. I read the concepts at Procrastinators Anonymous.
Then I remembered:
"Avoid perfectionism".
So I made phone calls and researched online ... to get the information I needed.
And I got it done.
Filed on time. Caught up.
I cannot describe the amazing feeling this gives me.
Thank you higher power.
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