# Not filed tax since arriving in UK



## Oaktree123 (Apr 12, 2015)

Hello, 
If anyone has any supportive suggestions, I would really appreciate it.


Due to my ignorance, anxiety and low level depression, I have been paying taxes in the UK since 1996 (with Permanent Leave to Remain) but not filing American tax returns. I have only my own ignorance to blame. I file UK taxes every year.

I earn less than $40,000 a year and have a bank account in my name, never with more than $2000 in it, and another joint bank account (joint with my British husband- never more than $1000 in it at a time)

I would like to file using efile but have never done so. I have never reported having a bank account, am I right I need to file FBAR - not sure how to do this.

I would greatly appreciate any helpful, and constructive comments.

I would also like to start paying back my Federal loan but am not sure when I should start the paperwork for this. I owe $10,000 since 1995.

I am extremely low in mood and upset with myself about this. My anxiety tends to make me hide my head in the sand or to not want to get out of bed to sort things out.

I wonder if I can efile in the next couple of days by myself or do I need a tax preparer her in the UK (London). 
Thank you.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

You do not have a FinCEN Form 114 ("FBAR") filing requirement unless and until the total value of your combined foreign accounts (including joint, signature authority, etc.) hits $10,000. Since that hasn't happened yet you don't have a 114 filing obligation yet.

Check out the IRS's Streamlined Program. Chances are excellent you don't owe any U.S. tax, and that program will get you caught up.

To find out the status of your student loan check with the National Student Loan Database.


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## Oaktree123 (Apr 12, 2015)

Thank you, I seem incapable of doing this on my own, do you think there is a reputable service that can help me file? Do I need to file the last few returns as I heard something about a statute of limitations. My tax returns here in the UK are not straightforward as I have two incomes, One is a salaried job at £27,000 a year, and the other is a very small once a week counselling job which only earns about £100 after tax. But it means when I file UK taxes I file both as self-employed and as having a salaried job. 

I wonder if this will be too complicated to do on efile by myself.

Thanks


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## Nononymous (Jul 12, 2011)

By all accounts it sounds like a very simple situation. It also sounds like you are not quite up for it. 

You should probably look around and find an online expat accounting service to take care of it for you. There are some who advertize here.


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## Oaktree123 (Apr 12, 2015)

I wonder if its possible to file with efile taxpro with only my social security number but no other special number. I see that there is a requirement to use a Personal Identity Number but I couldn't access the webpage to get one.


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Try the free sites like TaxAct.com and TaxSlayer.com. Both of those companies offer free basic tax filing using interview-style question and answer approaches. Both also offer past tax years, though at least in the case of TaxAct.com you'll have to pay a little bit of money. But start with tax year 2014 and see if you can get through it. Come back here if you need some help, but it's really not that complicated for someone with your particular tax situation. You just have ordinary wage income plus perhaps a minor amount of bank interest, and you contribute to U.K. national insurance (so no U.S. self-employment tax, I assume). I assume you don't have any investments with any dividends or capital gains to worry about.

So, go to either site (TaxAct.com or TaxSlayer.com) and, right now, file for an extension (IRS Form 4868). As I write this you have about 48 hours remaining to do that, so get that done. That'll extend your filing deadline to October 15, 2015. Then, over the next couple weeks or so, see if you can complete your 2014 tax return. If you can, great, you're all set for 2014. Then you can worry about previous tax years -- and the IRS's Streamlined Program. If you can do 2014 with the help of tax preparation software then you should have no trouble with 2011, 2012, and 2013 in the Streamlined Program.


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## Oaktree123 (Apr 12, 2015)

Thank you!


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

Just a note, since you asked about e-filing. If you're backfiling three years (as they request for the Streamlined Compliance program), you can't e-file those. You'll probably have to pay, too, for the software to fill out those forms - but TaxAct is only $15 a year, and I suspect Tax Slayer may have a similar deal for the 3 prior years' packages.

I wouldn't worry at this point about filing for an extension. Overseas filers have an automatic extension to June 15th as long as they don't owe anything (which sounds like it may well be your case here). 
Cheers,
Bev


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## Oaktree123 (Apr 12, 2015)

Thank you!


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