I lived outside the US since December 2013. Didnt know I had to file until recently. I haven't worked nor made any income since then. What should I do? Can you help ?

[obeltio]

I was informed that even though a US citizen didnt generate any income, should file or declare their taxes even if it was zero. 

Basically I moved to Honduras in December 2013 with my father. He basically has sustained me economically all of this time. I haven't worked nor made any income. So how do I declare my taxes since that time? Can you help me? How much will you charge me for it? 

[Opus 17 · Accepted solution]

As a US citizen, you are required to file a return and pay income taxes on all your world-wide income, even if you don't live in the US.  There are certain provisions that modify this, such as a tax credit for foreign taxes you paid, or an exclusion for foreign earned income if you work outside the US for the entire year.

The rules on who is required to file are the same as if you were living in the US.  You only need to file a tax return if you taxable income was more than $6000 or $10,000 (for 2013-2017, and depending on whether or not you are your parent's dependent) or more than $12,000 for 2018.  Taxable income includes wages, interest and investment income, profits from buying and selling things, and so on.  Taxable income does not include gifts or support from a parent.

If you have not had taxable income for those years over the filing limit, you don't need to file income tax returns.

If you own a foreign bank account in your name with more than $10,000 in it, you must file an annual report called an FBAR.  This is a reporting requirement, no tax is owed, and it is filed separately from a tax return using a separate IRS electronic system.  The FBAR report is also due April 15 of each year.

https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/report-of-foreign-bank-and-financial-a...

[obeltio]

Opus 17, thank you very much for your answer. I'm just concerned because I don't want any trouble. So I do not have to fill any forms of any sort? Yes I've been depending on my father. But what exactly should I do? I'm not sure how it works. I did file my taxes each year prior to 2013 but since then I've been outside the US. So do I leave things as they are without doing anything and just report or file when i get back to the US and work or should I fill a form of some sort to report my situation to the IRS? Thank you so much for your help.

[Opus 17]

You file when you have income and don't file when you don't.  You don't have to file an extra report saying you had no income when you don't.

Yes, you could file a return with all zeroes (if you had no income), or with your income showing that your income was less than $6000 or $10,000 or $12,000 (depending on the year and the situation) and calculating no tax owed, but there's really no point.  It will cost about $80 per return to buy the software, and 2013 and 2014 may not even be available any longer.  And returns with all zeroes may just get tossed in the trash instead of keyed into the computer system anyway.