Hi - I worked only in Dec. 2022 and was unemployed for the rest of 2022 and did not file my tax return by end of April 2023 (forgot. ..). What should I do now? File late?

[NCperson]

@emine85 how much did you earn? 

if you were a W-2 employee and earned less than $12,950 (and that would include any unemployment benefits) , you are not required to file.

if you were a self-employed contractor (and received a 1099-NEC) and earned less than $400, you are not required to file. 

However, if you had federal tax withholdings on a W-2, even though you may not be required to file, the only way to get the withholdings back is to file. 

[xmasbaby0]

It is not clear whether you even need to file a tax return.  You have not mentioned whether you were receiving unemployment benefits during any part of the period during which you were unemployed, whether you received some other kind of income, whether someone else supported you and can claim you as a dependent, etc. etc.   

If you need to file a tax return to seek a refund of tax withheld from box 2 or box 17 of your W-2, online tax preparation and e-filing  for tax year 2022 will be available until October 16.  After that, the online system will shut down and you will have to purchase and use the CD/download on a full PC or Mac, and your tax return has to be filed by mail.

Who has to file?

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Do-I-Need-to-File-a-Tax-Return%3F

[Hal_Al]

Yes, you can file late (if you even need to file). If there is withholding in box 2 of your W-2, you have three years (from 4-15-23) to file a 2022 federal tax return for a refund.

Taxes are complicated. There may be other reasons for filing a tax return.  Are you eligible for the Earned Income Credit? Are you eligible for the health insurance credit? 

[emine85]

So I have 3 full years to file my 2022 tax return? Can I just do it together with my 2023 tax return then? 

And I had income of over $13k gross in Dec. 2022, so I guess I need to file (the IRS online tool said so too). 

Just want to prevent an unexpected withdrawal from the tax authorities from my account ... 

Should I just use TuboTax now and file before Oct. 16 or do it with my 2023 tax return? 

Also, the IRS website said that resident aliens (green card holders like myself) get a 2-month extension past Oct. 16 - I assume that counts for me too, right? 

TY for your help! 

[Hal_Al]

Q. So I have 3 full years to file my 2022 tax return? Can I just do it together with my 2023 tax return then? 

A. No.  Each year must be filed separately.

Q.  I had income of over $13k gross in Dec. 2022, so I guess I need to file (the IRS online tool said so too). 

A. Yes.

Q.  Should I just use TuboTax now and file before Oct. 16. 

A. Yes.  If you wait til later, you will not be able to e-file and will have to mail in a paper return. 

Q. Also, the IRS website said that resident aliens (green card holders like myself) get a 2-month extension past Oct. 16 - I assume that counts for me too, right? 

A.  No, or more accurately, probably not.  I'm not familiar with that provision. But, a quick reading seems to say it doesn't apply to pay for working. 

[NCperson]

@emine85 - you can NOT combine 2022 income into the 2023 tax return.   You must complete a 2022 tax return for 2022 income.  

let's be clear:

The filing deadline was April 15.   

If you owe money penalties and interest will accure until you pay what you owe and file that tax return.  The obligation never goes away, so there is no 'deadline' per se.  

if you are due a refund, then you have 3 years from April 15, 2023 to claim that refund by filing the tax return.  There are no penalities or interest that accrue that you would owe the IRS.  But the iRS does not pay interest on the refund they owe you.  if you fail to claim within the 3 year period, the refund is lost as the IRS will not pay.  They really don't care if you file or not - they owe you, you don't owe them/

The filing deadline for a Green Card holder is the same as US citizens: generally April 15, unless you submitted for an extension.  

If you just have the one W-2 for 2022, you can sit down in front of a computer and complete this task in a hour.  Suggest doing that ASAP.   Turbo Tax will be closing down the 2022 tax software in a few days so that it can begin loading the 2023 software.   It will become a larger headache after that. But again, if you think you are due a refund, you have until April 15, 2023 to claim it.