Haven't filed taxes in years? Here is where to start.

If you are reading this with a knot in your stomach, you are not the first. Life gets in the way: a move, an illness, a hard year. I do not lecture. I just help you put it right.

Start, even if it is not perfect

The longer a missing return waits, the more it costs. Start with the most recent year and work back.

You may not need every paper

If you have lost W-2s or 1099s, the IRS keeps a record of the income forms it received for you. We can request that record and build the return from it.

Three things worth knowing

• If you are owed a refund, you generally have three years from the original due date to claim it. After that it is gone.
• The penalty for not filing is generally much larger than the penalty for not paying. File, even if you cannot pay in full.
• If you owe more than you can pay at once, the IRS offers payment plans.

Read more about late and amended returns.