5/1/25 I paid someone to file my taxes. They have a legit tax business and have been doing my taxes for the last 7-8 years. This was the first year ever that I owed and they gave me a price and I paid it and they said they will file. I followed up with said person multiple times throughout 2025 because I was not receiving any correspondence from IRS and when I checked it always said that the taxes have not been filed. I would follow up with her and she would assure me that she filed the taxes and to be honest she was quite disrespectful our last exchange in September/October. Today I received a letter that my 2024 taxes have not been filed at all. I have all documentation of our conversations and her telling me that she filed it as well as receipt that I paid for her to file my taxes online. I am very very disappointed and upset. I also fell pregnant last year and have been trying not to stress about this too much during my pregnancy. I have never owed the IRS and I really tried to stay on top of this as she told me I owed 10,000 and I was ready to set up an arrangement. Even though she said she would set up the payment arrangement I stayed in contact because I wasn’t hearing anything. I have only heard terrible things about the penalties, so I’m on the edge. How would you handle this situation?
Tax preparer did not file my 2024 taxes. How would you handle this?
byu/First-Respect-4423 intax
Posted by First-Respect-4423
5 Comments
I am an attorney. I am not your attorney. Seek competent legal advice in your jurisdiction specific to your circumstances.
If you went to see your preparer on May 1, 2025, and you owe, then you were already late to file. It doesn’t sound like you should blame the preparer for that.
The IRS doesn’t allow you to delegate your tax responsibility. You didn’t file, and that’s the end of it as far as they’ll care.
If you have a signed agreement or SOW from your preparer you could contemplate suing in District Ct for breach of contract, but this is NOT a tax issue.
I would provide the preparer a copy of the notice letter and ask for a copy of the electronic filing submission. That would show definite proof if filed to the IRS (and accepted) instead of taking their word for it.
If this was never filed after you signed the 8879 and returned to them timely, review the engagement letter but I’d imagine a good preparer would cover the penalties if they dropped the ball and never filed the return.
If this was paper filed then there is a good chance that the return is stuck in processing and could take a long time on the IRS side.
Start by finding out if it was actually unfiled – one client just received a similar notice for a return we transmitted back in April – turns out the IRS sent them an ID Validation notice in May and they just ignored it. They called the IRS who explained what the hold-up was, answered their questions, and their return is finally being processed 8 months later.
Next, setup an installment agreement. https://www.irs.gov/payments/online-payment-agreement-application
Finally, request a first time abatement of penalties. They can’t forgive the interest, but they can drop the penalties if you were timely with your filings and payments for the prior 3 years.
So you would know you filed because the preparer would have had you sign the 8879 either electronically or in person. The preparer is required to keep that record. There will also be a form called a 9325 [Form 9325 (Rev. 1-2017)](https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f9325.pdf) which shows you what step in the process your return is at. My clients get a copy emailed to them as the return processes.
If you aren’t seeing anything in your IRS account, [Online account for individuals | Internal Revenue Service](https://www.irs.gov/payments/online-account-for-individuals) then chances are your return wasn’t filed. Find a new preparer at [RPO Preparer Directory](https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf). You can search by your zip code. You probably just need an Annual Filing Season Participant like me. I get people caught up on taxes all the time for all kinds of reasons.
Owing the IRS $10,000 makes no sense unless you earned nearly $70k and paid in $0 withholding.
I reject the idea that the return was paper filed, because first of all, it is a 2024 return, and second, I had a 2021 return paper filed in September and she received her refund of CTC in December. I’m still clueless how she received CTC for 2021 when the deadline was 4/15/2025, but apparently there was no deadline for the COVID money.
Ummm yeah no, recently retired. As the TP it’s on you to make sure it’s filed. Whether the preparer did or didn’t, they don’t care. You have a separate issue with the preparer, maybe refund your prep fees, maybe consider finding one more responsible and organized but as far as your return filing and penalties, it’s on you. With everything going on good luck reaching someone, and good luck reaching someone that knows what they’re doing. Get ahead of it before the upcoming filing season because this one will be interesting.