Behind on your taxes? Let’s fix it.
Catching up on back taxes and unfiled returns is a common, solvable problem for New Hampshire taxpayers, and the sooner you start, the better it usually turns out.
Chris Brown, Enrolled Agent
You work with me directly, start to finish.
How we help you catch up on back taxes and unfiled returns
If you have unfiled tax returns, the safest move is to file them yourself before the IRS files for you. We pull your IRS transcripts, rebuild each missing year from what is actually on record, and get the returns filed. Filing voluntarily almost always means a smaller balance and more ways to handle it.
If you have one or more years of unfiled returns, you are not alone, and you are not stuck. This is one of the most common reasons people call us, and it is very fixable. The hardest part is usually picking up the phone, and once you do, we can lay out a clear plan the same week.
Chris Brown, Enrolled Agent
You work with me directly, start to finish.
Whether you searched for a CPA, an accountant, or a tax preparer, the person you actually need for back taxes is someone licensed to work directly with the IRS on your behalf. NH Tax Advisors is led by Chris Brown, an IRS Enrolled Agent, which means he can do exactly that, in all fifty states.
Why coming to us first turns out better
If the mail from the IRS has started and you have a year or more you never filed, the worst part is often not knowing how bad it is. Left alone, it does not settle down. Penalties and interest keep building on any balance, and if a year stays unfiled long enough the IRS can file its own version of your return, in its favor, and start collecting on a number that is almost always too high. Coming to us first stops that. We pull your IRS transcripts to see exactly what each year holds, rebuild the returns from what is actually on record, file them, and deal with the IRS directly so you do not have to.
- Licensed to deal with the IRS on your behalf, in all fifty states
- Only the years you actually need, rebuilt from your IRS transcripts
- Penalties challenged wherever First Time Abatement or reasonable cause applies
- Back taxes handled quietly and without judgment
- A realistic plan for any balance, so filing never waits on paying
- The same person on your file from the first call through the last year filed
“Having started a small business several years ago it was very frustrating to find out that I had not been as dialed in on taxes as I thought. Chris demonstrated professionalism and patience walking through what to do.”
How we get you caught up
- Pull your records. We request your IRS wage, income, and account transcripts, so we can see exactly what the IRS already has for each year.
- Rebuild the years. We reconstruct each missing return from those transcripts and whatever records you still have, so nothing that lowers your bill gets left out.
- File and resolve. We file the years you need, then sort out any balance with a plan you can actually live with.
Why filing your own return beats letting the IRS do it
When a return stays unfiled long enough, the IRS can file a substitute for return (SFR) in your place. It uses the income reported under your Social Security number and none of the deductions, credits, or filing status you would normally claim, so the balance comes out higher than it should. Filing your own accurate return replaces that SFR and usually lowers what you owe, and coming forward on your own is also what keeps your penalties from reaching their maximum. Here is what that difference looks like in dollars.
Filing late versus never filing, on a $3,000 balance
Say you owe $3,000 for a year you have not filed, and you cannot pay it right away. Here is roughly how the two paths compare:
| You file, but cannot pay | You never file (5 years) | |
|---|---|---|
| Failure-to-file penalty | None | Up to 22.5% of the tax |
| Failure-to-pay penalty | Up to 25% | Up to 25% |
| Substitute return risk | No | Yes, and it often overstates the tax |
| Penalties on $3,000 | Up to about $750 | Up to about $1,425 |
Both paths also add interest until the balance is paid. The failure-to-file penalty is the expensive one. It runs 5% a month, ten times the failure-to-pay penalty, which is why filing, even when you cannot pay, almost always costs far less than staying unfiled. Across five unfiled years, that gap multiplies.
Let’s get you filed before the penalties grow.
If you are not sure how many years you are actually missing, just give us a call. We can pull your records and explain exactly where you stand.
The refunds you can lose by waiting
There is a second cost to waiting that catches people by surprise: a refund does not wait for you. You generally have only three years from a return’s due date to claim its refund. After that, the money goes to the U.S. Treasury and cannot be recovered. So the years where you were owed a refund are on a clock, and it runs out quietly. Here is how that plays out for someone who owed tax six years ago, got scared, and stopped filing after that.
The refunds a six-year gap can quietly cost you
| Tax year | Result on that return | If you file now |
|---|---|---|
| 6 years ago | Owed $2,000 | Still has to be filed; the tax does not expire |
| 5 years ago | $2,500 refund | Lost (past the 3-year window) |
| 4 years ago | $1,500 refund | Lost (past the 3-year window) |
| 3 years ago | $1,000 refund | Closing now, file right away |
| 2 years ago | $1,200 refund | Still yours |
| Last year | $900 refund | Still yours |
By waiting, this person permanently lost $4,000 in refunds ($2,500 plus $1,500) that the government simply keeps, and another $1,000 is about to expire. The years where you owe do not get cheaper by waiting, and the years where you are owed can disappear entirely. That is why the timing matters.
Let’s file the older years before you lose any more refunds.
If a return you already filed came out wrong, that is a different fix (an amended return), and we handle those too. If what you have is a single letter rather than years of unfiled returns, start with how we read and answer IRS notices. And you do not have to be in Bedford to work with us. Most of this happens by secure portal, phone, and video, the same way we work with clients in Manchester, Nashua, and across New Hampshire.
A few things people ask before they call:
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I keep not filing my tax returns?
Nothing, right up until it does. Left alone, unfiled years do not settle down: penalties and interest keep building on any balance, and if a year stays unfiled long enough the IRS can file its own version of your return and start collecting on it, with liens, levies, or wage garnishment. None of it expires on its own. The good news is that coming forward before the IRS acts almost always turns out better than being found.
How many years of back taxes do I actually have to file?
Usually the last six. The IRS generally looks at the past six years to consider you back in good standing, though your situation can change that. We pull your transcripts first and tell you exactly which years you need, so you only file the years compliance actually requires.
What happens if the IRS already filed a return for me?
That is called a substitute for return, and it is built in the government’s favor: your income, none of your deductions, credits, or the right filing status. The balance is almost always higher than it should be. You can replace it by filing your own accurate return for that year, which usually lowers what you owe, even after the substitute return was assessed. We do that regularly.
Will I owe penalties, and can they be reduced?
Maybe, and often they can be. A late return can carry a failure-to-file penalty of up to 25% of the tax, a separate failure-to-pay penalty, and interest. But if your prior filing history is clean, First Time Abatement can remove the penalties for one year, and reasonable cause can cover others. Filing on your own, before the IRS files for you, is what keeps the penalties from reaching their maximum in the first place.
Can I still get a refund on an old return, or is it too late?
It depends on the year. You generally have three years from a return’s original due date to claim its refund. Miss that window and the money goes to the U.S. Treasury for good, even though you earned it. That is why the older refund years are the urgent ones: they need to be filed before the three years runs out.
What if I cannot pay what I owe once I file?
Filing and paying are two separate steps, and we do not let the second one hold up the first. We get you filed, then set up a realistic plan for the balance, usually an installment agreement, and an offer in compromise when you genuinely qualify. A balance on a payment plan costs far less than staying unfiled while penalties run.
Can you get my IRS records if I have lost old W-2s and 1099s?
Yes. As an IRS Enrolled Agent, I can request your wage and income transcripts straight from the IRS, which recovers most of what was reported under your Social Security number for each year: W-2s, 1099s, and more. That is usually enough to rebuild the older returns even when your own copies are long gone.
Can I go to jail for not filing my taxes?
For the ordinary person who fell behind and is trying to fix it, no. Criminal charges are rare and are aimed at deliberate evasion, not at someone who got overwhelmed and stopped filing. The real risk here is financial: the penalties, the interest, and a substitute return the IRS files for you. Coming forward on your own is exactly what keeps this a civil matter.
How far back can the IRS come after me for unfiled returns?
There is no time limit on a year you never filed. The clock the IRS runs on assessing tax only starts once a return is filed, so an unfiled year stays open indefinitely, and waiting does not close it. Once a return is filed and the tax assessed, the IRS generally has ten years to collect. Filing is what starts those clocks working in your favor instead of against you.
Should I contact the IRS myself, or have someone handle it?
You can call the IRS yourself, but for unfiled years it is usually better not to go in alone. What you say can be used to set the assessment, and the person on the phone works for the IRS, not for you. As an Enrolled Agent, I can pull your records, deal with the IRS directly on your behalf, and make sure the first move is the right one.
Want the IRS’s own words on any of this? These are the pages worth knowing.
Where to learn more
- IRS: Filing Past Due Tax ReturnsThe IRS’s own guide to filing late returns, what happens if you do not, and how a substitute return works.
- IRS: Penalty ReliefWhen and how the IRS reduces or removes failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalties, including First Time Abate and reasonable cause.
- IRS: Get TranscriptWhere your wage, income, and account transcripts come from, the records we pull to rebuild the years you are missing.
What clients say
Real reviews from real Southern NH clients
“I truly cannot say enough good things about my experience with Chris & Maria at NH Tax Advisors! I came to them with a rather daunting & messy self-employed tax situation, needing resolution for some previous years' filings.”
“We had an unexpected situation this tax season when our original accountant suddenly became ill and had to retire. My husband and I were scrambling to find someone new, especially so close to the deadline.”
“I had a great experience working with Chris Brown. He was incredibly easy to work with and always very reachable. He would respond within minutes or at most a few hours whenever I had a question.”
Talk to your tax professional today
Call to talk through your tax situation with a licensed tax pro who’ll remember you next year.