Will refund be held if my husband has not filed taxes sine 2015?

[caron1981]

Got married in May of 2021 so this year we would file joint. However my husband has not file taxes since 2015. 

He's actually doing them right now and going to mail them. 

If we file our taxes for 2021 will our refund be held by the IRS until they receive his past tax returns? 

So far he's owed a refund up to 2018 but we have not done 2019 or 2020 yet because we are missing 2 w2s but we expect not to owe anything for those dates either so I don't think he will get sacked with penalties. To our knowledge there has been no substitute tax return filed on our behalf by the IRS.

If they do hold it well that's going to be horrid because I hear they are back logged to no end with paper returns.

[Critter-3]

Can they hold the return/refund ?   Yes

Will they ?   Maybe ... if he has a balance due on a prior year return according to the IRS's calculations ... so completing the other 2 returns to make sure there are no balance dues first before you file and wonder.