Tax Matters - The Top Tax Defenders Blog

Nothing sets the nerves on edge quite like the need to file back tax returns. Deserved or not, the IRS has a reputation for making life difficult. (We will admit they are trying to be nicer.)

If you haven’t filed your income taxes for a while, you are probably wondering what to do now. Should you continue your habitual non-tax filing behavior? Or should you throw yourself on the mercy of the IRS?

If you could not pay your taxes in full, you owe back taxes to the IRS (and possibly to the state you live in if there is a state income tax). The thing about back taxes is that they accrue interest on the unpaid balance from the time of nonpayment until it is completely paid off. So you wind up paying more than the original amount.

Have you received an IRS notice of levy on your bank account? That’s another name for an IRS bank account freeze or seizure. It happens when you don’t pay your tax debt.

If you had trouble scraping up enough to pay your taxes in full, you might have heard from the federal government already. Understanding tax liens can be confusing, so we've put together answers to some of the most frequently asked questions to help you navigate this complex topic with confidence.

Can you get a refund if you owe back taxes? The simple answer is … maybe. As in, it depends on whether you owe less in tax debt than you have coming to you as a refund. There are several reasons the IRS might hold up your refund or seize it to pay for other debt.

Not filing taxes for several years could have serious repercussions. Not only can the IRS stop you from applying for a passport or a mortgage, but they can also create a Substitute for Return against you, charge you for failure to pay, or charge you for failure to file.

Are you planning to travel out of the country this summer? We hope you are not in tax debt because that could put a damper on things. Did you know that starting in February 2018, the IRS directed the State Department to deny or revoke passports of those owing $51,000 or more in back taxes?

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in May 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

If you somehow missed all the clues that Tax Day is April 15 (every year), or all the specials from tax preparers running up to this year’s Tax Day, you may be wondering what to do now.