Unfiled Tax Returns
Advising Clients with Unfiled Tax Returns
Unfiled income tax returns are a major problem for the Internal Revenue Service. Each year the IRS estimates that nearly 10 million taxpayers fail to file their federal tax returns. Whether the failure to file is inadvertent or purposeful because the taxpayer believes that he or she is unable to pay what is owed, the consequences can be harsh.
Combatting the problem of unfiled tax returns is a top priority for the IRS. When a taxpayer fails to file a federal income tax return, the IRS has the power to impose significant monetary fines and penalties and, in some instances, the crime can be punishable by imprisonment.
The attorneys at Thorn Law Group counsel and advise businesses and individuals in the Virginia area and throughout the United States who have failed to file their federal income tax returns. Our top-notch team of tax law attorneys have extensive experience helping clients successfully resolve these matters with the IRS. Many of our lawyers have worked as IRS attorneys before entering the private practice of law. These lawyers understand how the government investigates and prosecutes all types of tax law violations, including the failure to file a federal return and pay the taxes owed to the government. Our attorneys draw upon this inside knowledge to help non-filers come into compliance and settle their tax law problems with the IRS.
Penalties for Failing to File Your Tax Return can be Severe
Taxpayers who fail to file a federal return are likely to face strict fines and penalties. These fines and penalties include:
- Failure-to-File Penalty. When a taxpayer fails to file a federal income tax return by the IRS deadline the taxpayer will be subject to the failure-to-file penalty. This penalty is generally five percent of the total unpaid taxes owed for each month or fraction of a month that the taxpayer’s tax return is late, up to a maximum of 25%.
- Willful Failure to File a Return. When a taxpayer willfully fails to file a federal tax return, the government can impose a fine of up to $25,000 ($100,000 if the taxpayer is a corporation) and/or sentence the taxpayer up to one year in prison for every year that the taxpayer failed to file a return.
- Tax Evasion. In some instances, the government will find that the taxpayer’s actions in failing to file a return rise to the level of tax evasion. Tax evasion is a felony crime and the taxpayer can be sentenced to a jail term of up to five years for each year the taxpayer failed to file. The taxpayer can also be fined up to $100,000 ($500,000 if the taxpayer is a corporation).
Thorn Law Group Helps Delinquent Taxpayers Come into Compliance
If you are a taxpayer who has filed to file your federal tax return, it is important to discuss your situation with a skilled tax law attorney. A Virginia Tax Lawyer at Thorn Law Group can review your situation and identify all available avenues to bring you into compliance with the IRS. Depending upon your situation, we may be able to help you participate in the IRS installment program or negotiate an Offer in Compromise (OIC) agreement with the IRS.
To discuss your situation in confidence with a qualified tax law attorney at the Thorn Law Group, contact our Virginia satellite office at 703-752-3752 or by email at ket@thornlawgroup.com.
