Category: Tax Tips and Tricks

*Updated 9-18-2026 The IRS may still be trying to collect after 10 years because the collection period runs from the assessment date, not the year a return was originally due. That deadline is called the Collection Statute Expiration Date, or CSED, and late filing, audits, or a Substitute for Return can push assessment years past […]

Filing taxes without records is possible because a past due tax return can usually be rebuilt from an IRS transcript, bank statements, payroll records, and payer duplicates even when the original W-2 or 1099 is gone. Missing tax papers does not prevent you from filing a return. The wage and income transcript from the IRS […]

*Updated 9/18/2026 You can still file 2023 taxes late by completing Form 1040 using 2023-specific forms, rates, and credit rules, since a prior-year return must follow the rules for that tax year rather than current-year software. The original 2023 deadline was mid-April 2024, or mid-October 2024 with a filed extension, and filing now rather than […]

*Updated 9/18/2026 Filing back taxes in Texas almost always means catching up on federal returns with the IRS, since Texas has no state personal income tax for individuals. Each missing year needs its own return prepared on that year’s specific Form 1040 and schedules, because tax brackets, credits, and rules change annually and current-year forms […]

Tens of millions of taxpayers may qualify for an IRS COVID penalty refund and not realize it. A federal court ruling in late 2025 changed how the COVID-19 disaster period affects penalties and interest assessed between January 20, 2020 and July 10, 2023. Under that ruling, the IRS should not have charged failure-to-file penalties, failure-to-pay […]

*Updated 9/17/2026 For many taxpayers that need assistance, an IRS tax payment plan creates a structured path to resolve prior taxes while reducing the chance that the account moves toward enforced collection. This PriorTax guide explains how installment agreements work, who qualifies, what they cost, and how to choose terms you can keep. A tax […]

*Updated 9/17/2026 Missing the tax filing deadline creates one urgent question: can you fix it before the costs get worse? For anyone asking, “Can I still file my taxes?”, the answer is yes, and the IRS still accepts late returns after April 15. What changes is not your ability to file, but the financial risk […]

Most people asking about old tax balances want one answer: when does the IRS lose the legal right to collect? Understanding the IRS 10-year statute of limitations starts with one critical distinction: this rule usually limits IRS collection of assessed tax, not filing deadlines, audits, or when the Internal Revenue Service can review a return. […]

A tax bill you cannot pay feels urgent because the clock starts running fast. Understanding what happens if you don’t pay taxes helps you separate immediate damage from long-term risk and pick the least expensive path forward. Start Here: Not Filing vs. Not Paying Two different problems create two different kinds of trouble: failing to […]

**updated 9-17-2026 Missed the tax deadline and worried about what the Internal Revenue Service will do next? Most taxpayers run into trouble with the penalty for filing taxes late only when they owe a balance due, because the IRS treats a late tax return and a late payment as separate compliance failures. This guide explains […]