If you didn’t file your tax return for 2010, the Internal Revenue Service has some good news for you: time is on your side. The IRS says a return for 2010 must be filed no later than Tuesday, April 15, 2014.
Approximately 918,600 taxpayers who did not file a federal income tax return for 2010 are missing out on refunds totaling almost $760 million. Taxpayers who file for 2010 may be eligible to receive a refund of more than $571, says the IRS.
In situations where a taxpayer fails to file a return, a three-year window is allowed for claiming a refund. However, if a tax return is not filed the refund becomes property of the U.S. Treasury. The IRS says there is no penalty for filing a late return that qualifies for a refund.
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Know that if you file your return for 2010 but have not filed for 2011 and 2012, you will not get your refund check until you file and are up-to-date. Furthermore, even if you are current with all three, you still might not get your entire refund in special circumstances.
Says the IRS, “In addition, the refund will be applied to any amounts still owed to the IRS or their state tax agency, and may be used to offset unpaid child support or past due federal debts such as student loans.â€
Tax forms and instructions from previous years are available on the Forms and Publications page of IRS.gov. You can also call 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676). If you cannot find your W-2, 1098, 1099 or 5498 forms for 2010, 2011 or 2012 you can get a copy from your employer.