If you haven't filed taxes in 20, 10, five or three years, you are quite possibly someone that found WATAX today. People who haven't filed generally fall into three categories:
1. Expecting refunds. You expect mostly refunds but haven't filed.
2. Owing taxes and able to pay. You can afford to pay the IRS, just haven't filed.
3. Owing taxes and unable to pay? You are self-employed, didn't pay taxes, just stopped filing.
Expecting refunds? You'll often file the three or four most recent tax years and enjoy your refunds. If the IRS asks you to file the older years, you will comply, but you won't anticipate refunds as those years will be past the statute of limitations for refunds. Our research and filing of four tax returns costs between $740.00 to $1050.00.
Owing taxes and able to pay? If you haven't filed a lot of years, you could try filing the most recent years (one, two or three) and pay all of the taxes due plus penalties and interest. This strategy might satisfy the IRS. If you stay compliant going forward, it just might work out. Researching your IRS record (carefully) and filing three complex returns should cost you about $800.00 to $1500.00
Owing taxes and unable to pay? If you haven't filed many years, you could file your last seven returns and then work out a livable installment agreement, have your debt declared as "currently not collectible," or arrange a settlement or Offer in Compromise. If you are self-employed and settle your debt with IRS, you will also restore your Social Security credits at a substantial discount while getting square with the IRS. If we file all of your returns and negotiate a settlement, you should expect to pay between $2500 to $4000.00. If you do the returns (with some guidance from us), we'll do the research and the negotiation for $1750.00.
For a more detailed explanation of WATAX fees, you can read Fees for Tax Representation: What's Reasonable?
