Unfiled Tax Returns & Back Tax Filing in Portland, ME
Missing one or more years of federal or Maine state returns? Summit Tax & Accounting prepares accurate back tax filings that minimize penalties and stop IRS collection action.
- All years handled together
- IRS transcript pull included
- Penalty minimization focus
What Is Unfiled Tax Returns & Back Tax Filing?
Back tax filing means preparing and submitting accurate federal and Maine state returns for one or more prior years in which the original deadline was missed without filing.
Why Choose Summit Tax & Accounting for Unfiled Tax Returns & Back Tax Filing
Why Choose Us
Summit Tax & Accounting prepares back tax returns using IRS transcripts, W-2 and 1099 wage data, and whatever records you can provide. We have filed returns going back a decade for Portland clients in situations ranging from simple W-2 income to complex self-employment with missing bookkeeping records.
Common Unfiled Tax Returns & Back Tax Filing Scenarios
IRS Substitute Return Filed
The IRS filed a Substitute for Return on your behalf using only wage income reported by employers, ignoring all deductions you were entitled to claim.
Life Event Disruption
A divorce, illness, or extended job loss caused several years of returns to fall through the cracks, and penalty notices are now arriving at your Portland address.
Self-Employment Without Records
Years of freelance or contract income went unfiled because bookkeeping was never kept current, leaving income and expense figures that require reconstruction from bank data.
Our Unfiled Tax Returns & Back Tax Filing Process
Request IRS Transcripts
We pull your Wage and Income Transcripts for every unfiled year directly from the IRS, giving us a complete picture of all income reported to the agency under your Social Security number.
Reconstruct Income and Deductions
Using transcripts, bank statements, and any records you have, we build accurate returns that claim all deductions and credits you were eligible for in each missing year.
File in the Correct Order
We file returns from the oldest year forward so that carryover items like capital losses and net operating losses flow correctly through to more recent years, reducing total balances.
Address Balances and Penalties
Once accurate balances are established, we review every year for penalty abatement eligibility and then pursue the appropriate installment or settlement option for any amounts owed.
Unfiled Tax Returns & Back Tax Filing - Frequently Asked Questions
The IRS generally requires the six most recent unfiled years to be current before entering into any resolution agreement. However, if you had a refund due in a year more than three years past, that refund is no longer collectible.
Missing records are the most common challenge in back tax cases. We use IRS transcript data, which includes all income reported by employers and payers, as the foundation and supplement it with bank records and expense estimates where allowed.
Failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalties are assessed automatically on late returns with balances. However, first-time penalty abatement and reasonable cause abatement can eliminate or significantly reduce these charges for qualifying Portland taxpayers.
Yes. Maine Revenue Services administers its own income tax independently from the IRS. We file both your federal and Maine state back returns simultaneously so both agencies receive current returns at the same time, preventing duplicate collection activity.
SERVICE AREAS
Unfiled Tax Returns & Back Tax Filing Near You
Summit Tax & Accounting provides unfiled tax returns & back tax filing throughout Portland and surrounding communities.
Related IRS & State Tax Resolution Services
