Filing back taxes to the IRS

[woodenshoes]

Let's say you are an ahem...idiot and haven't filed your taxes since leaving the good old U.S. of A. in 2008. (Not intentionally, I just stupidly didn't realize I needed to.) What are the exact steps I need to take to remedy this? Is it simple enough to do on my own?

If it matters:

- DH is a non US-citizen.

- I am currently a SAHM but wasn't a big earner when I was working here.

I am hoping I'll sleep better once this is taken care of! Thanks in advance!

[mrsukyankee]

Very simple. You just need to fill out the form 2555 (probably the EZ) and the 1040. I've done it myself every year. If you've had more than $10,000 in your accounts (including ones shared with your DH) then you need to fill out the FBAR (also easy).

[woodenshoes]

Oct 25, 2014 16:48:47 GMT -5 mrsukyankee said:

Very simple. You just need to fill out the form 2555 (probably the EZ) and the 1040. I've done it myself every year. If you've had more than $10,000 in your accounts (including ones shared with your DH) then you need to fill out the FBAR (also easy).

I do not have my own accounts here. I also never put my name on the accounts I share with DH, though my salary has always gone into the shared accounts. (This probably sounds really naïve and foolish, I know.) There has been more than $10,000 in these accounts. But without my name on them do I still fill out the FBAR?

[mrsukyankee]

As long as you aren't named on the accounts, you should be fine.

[woodenshoes]

Thanks so much! It's a relief to hear I should be able to do it on my own. Fingers crossed I won't get any penalties.

[GilliC]

I had a friend who didn't realize she was supposed to be filing and was here for around 5 years. She was working the whole time, so she did hire an accountant to deal with the old returns, but I don't think she was penalized at all.

In the meantime, I file every year, and now after 8 years out of the US, the IRS is demanding 50+ pages of documentation to prove that I really do live overseas and actually pay the foreign taxes that I say I do. Nothing like punishing the people who try to do the right thing.