I didnt file a tax return in 2003 can I still fill and get a return?

Question

Id like to have a website to back up the answer. Thanks

Answer 1

You can still file for a refund up to April 17, 2007. Here is the IRS publication which state the rules for time limits. See page 12, "Claims for Refund."

http://www.irs.gov/publications/p556/ar02.html#d0e1630

Answer 2

If you are expecting a refund, you only have 3 years to file for your refund. Since the 2003 tax return is originally due on April 15, 2004, three years from that date is April 15, 2007. If your return is not filed by that date, you lose any refund that was due to you. If you owe tax, the statute of limitations does not begin to run until the date you actually file your return, so the IRS can come after you at any time, 3 years, 5 years, 50 years, for the tax that you owe.

Edit: To reply to Skibum, the statute of limitations for the IRS to audit a return is generally 3 years, although the IRS can go back as far as 5 years if they suspect fraud. HOWEVER, this statute of limitations only starts beginning with the date the tax return is filed. So if a return has never been filed, the statute of limitations never expires. For practical purposes, it is unlikely the IRS would go after someone 50 years from now for a couple of hundred dollars they may owe for taxes for a return that was never filed. However, if the taxes was several million, you bet they would go after it. In fact, they would probably have went after it within a couple of years, not waiting until that much time has passed.

Answer 3

You have 3 years from the due date of a return to file and receive any refund due. The due date for 2003 was April 15, 2004 so you have until April 15, 2007 to get that return filed.

Answer 4

Statutes of limitations generally limit the time the IRS has to make tax assessments to within three years after a return is due or filed, whichever is later. That particular date is also referred to as the statute expiration date. Statute of limitations will also limit the time you have to file a claim for credit or refund.

Congress, recognizing that additional time may sometimes be needed to fairly resolve a tax examination, has provided for extending the statutory period by written agreement between you and the IRS. These agreements, (Form 872, Consent to Extend the Time to Assess Tax), are called "consents" and generally apply to all taxes except estate tax. Notification is usually made by sending Letter 907, with the most recently revised Publication 1035, entitled, “Extending the Tax Assessment Period,” and the applicable agreements.

Answer 5

what the first person said is correct you can only go back three years for a refund. However with my experience I know some tax payers that still got refunds after the three year mark. Also I disagree on how far back the IRS can go. I believe the statute of limitations is 5 years and if the IRS finds tax evasion in those 5 years then it can go farther however if your clean in the last 5 they cant go any farther.

Answer 6

Yes, as long as you do it by April 15,2007 - after that, you are still required to file, but won't get your refund.