There is a time and place for everything…including your 2014 tax return.
The 2015 tax season was that time and place. Although you’re a little late, you can still file your 2014 taxes. You just won’t be able to electronically file (e-file) it.
IRS e-file dates and deadlines
Each December, the IRS comes out with the e-file start dates and deadlines for that year’s upcoming tax season. For 2014 returns, those dates fell between January and October of 2015. The IRS promptly closes their e-filing system after that.
Can I still submit my 2014 taxes to the IRS?
Yes! You can and you should. You’ll need to sign and mail your tax return to the IRS instead of just submitting it online like you may be used to. The preparation process that you typically follow can remain the same. Not sure where to prepare your return? We can help you with that on RapidTax! It’s quick and easy; even for late tax returns. All you need to do is create an account with a unique username and password. Then begin entering your tax information into our user-friendly application. It’s even free to try with several pricing packages to fit your tax situation once you enter all of your information.
Can I still claim a 2014 tax refund?
That’s a yes! The IRS has a Statute of Limitations in place that allows taxpayers three years from the original due date to claim a refund. That means you can claim your 2014 IRS refund until April 2018. Keep in mind that it will take a bit longer than usual to receive that refund in the mail since it is a prior year return now. It can take the IRS about 6 weeks to process an accurately completed late tax return.
What penalties am I facing for a 2014 tax due amount?
There are currently two penalties when it comes to late filing a tax return with the IRS.
- Failure-to-pay
- Failure-to-file
The failure-to-pay penalty accrues for paying your tax due past the deadline. It is 0.5% per month of your unpaid taxes. This begins to accrue the day after your taxes are due to the IRS and applies for each month (or part of a month) that they remain unpaid. It will not add up to be more than 25% of your unpaid tax amount due.
The failure-to file penalty accrues for filing your tax return past the deadline. It is 5% of the unpaid taxes for each month (or part of a month) that your tax return is late. Based on the percentage, this penalty can add up to be ten times more than the failure-to-pay penalty. What’s this mean for you? If you’re not filing because you know you won’t be able to pay, think again. You should file now and face the smaller of the two penalty fees!
What’s the takeaway?
Here’s the thing. You should always file your tax return; late or not, refund or not. Taxes help you out with loan qualifications, rental agreements, and sometimes even your credit. If you’re behind, that’s okay. But why not takes small steps to get back on track?
I was just wondering what date can you start filing your taxes? I e file
Hi Jamie,
The IRS has announced that the official start date of tax season is January 20th.
I downloaded my forms from the IRS website and placed them on my USB in a PDF file. Can I email them to the IRS to file them?
Hi Helen,
No. You will need to prepare your taxes with a tax preparer, such as RapidTax.com. Once your tax return is prepared, you can elect to have your taxes e-filed (electronically filed) directly to the IRS or you can print, sign and mail them to the IRS.
I tried filing my taxes on Tuesday but it was rejected the tax person said because the ssn of my number of my newborn probably hasn’t been updated with the IRS yet can someone tell me how long it takes for the irs to update there systems
Hi, I let someone from my job do my taxes , they did my taxes in 2011 everything was fine , I let them do them again for 2012, she told me when she filed them for 2012 it was rejected, I have 4 dependents which one was a newborn and we all were claimed , someone claimed me and my 4 children the only one who had access to my newborns social security number was the person who did my taxes , I’m still with the father and he lets me claim them, we found out from a rapid tax place my info was put thru on free tax usa to do a rapid refund to get the money back in 2 days , my return was offset becausevi owed money so this person was unable to get the money fast, when the bank finally received the money it was held by them because the social security number didnot match the bank account it was being deposited into, I know who did this, the irs now tells me I owe them somemoney how can I get a copy of the original tax return that was submitted first thru tax usa the one that the irs accepted first because I had to mail mine in on paper
You call irs and request a copy to be mailed to you.
I am wondering when I can e-file to have my taxes direct deposited in my bank account
Hi Tammy,
The IRS tax season officially starts on Jan. 31st. That means, the IRS will be accepting returns starting on 1/31. However, our website has the 2013 tax application already up. That means, you can fill out your tax return on our website, submit and when January 31st rolls around, we will have it submitted to the IRS.
Saying that, if you do fill out and submit before the start of the tax season, you can probably expect your direct deposited refund by mid-February. Here is a link to an estimate tax refund cycle chart to see when you can expect your refund, based upon what day you file.
Hope that helps. Happy filing!
You’ve got it in one. Coln’udt have put it better.