# Tax Refunds for Late Filers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 27, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-refunds-for-late-filers/177813 "2003-05-27T17:37:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalovindj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dalovindj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalovindj)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-refunds-for-late-filers/177813/1 "2003-05-27T17:37:01Z")
Suppose I had refunds coming from 2001 and 2002 on my federal tax returns. Suppose I forgot to file. Suppose I file right now. Do I get all the money I am owed? Are there penalties for filing late if you are owed money (as opposed to having to pay - which I know builds interest charges and late penalties if ignored)? I’ve had piss-poor luck finding good links by googling, but one number that seems to kepp popping up is 3 years. Is it the case that one has 3 years to file for a refund? After that is it bye bye cash? Thanks in advance for any help. And yes, I know: I’m stupid. Procrastination is a way of life for guys like myself. My paperwork floweth over. . . DaLovin’ Dj ---
**Author:** ![db4530](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@db4530](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/db4530)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-refunds-for-late-filers/177813/2 "2003-05-27T17:44:32Z")
File as soon as possible and you will get your refund. There is only a penalty if you owe money. If money is owed to you, there is no penalty, but you get no interest either. As far as a three-year deadline. It sounds about right, but I am unsure. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-refunds-for-late-filers/177813/3 "2003-05-27T18:01:06Z")
Be careful with similar stuff for state taxes - some states penalize you for filing late even though you didn’t owe anything. ---
**Author:** ![Bravic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Bravic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bravic)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-refunds-for-late-filers/177813/4 "2003-05-27T18:10:20Z")
Yes, three years or bye-bye cash. For your 2001 return, you have until April 15, 2005. And bup is right, although the minimum penalties I’ve seen most states charge can be as low as $10 or as high as $50. I’m sure they’ll deduct it out of any refund. And many states are 4 years rather than 3, but I believe Pennsylvania is only 2. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-refunds-for-late-filers/177813/5 "2003-05-27T18:46:57Z")
> [@](#): > > I’ve had piss-poor luck finding good links by googling You didn’t even find [this one](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a960405.html)? ---
**Author:** ![dalovindj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dalovindj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalovindj)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-refunds-for-late-filers/177813/6 "2003-05-27T19:38:06Z")
Dammit. I keep forgetting to search the archives. Did you blow your 8000th post on my dumb thread??? Thanks everybody, looks like I should be allright if I send them in sometime this year. I just have to get my laundry done first . . . ---
**Author:** ![Fujerica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@Fujerica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fujerica)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tax-refunds-for-late-filers/177813/7 "2003-05-27T19:43:53Z")
Actually when I filed my federal returns late, they told me I could file for the past four years… the IRS told me it was a 100 dollar penalty or the whole of my return, whichever was lesser, for the past years… so I filed 'em and there was no problem… got my money back in about 2 weeks… about 2 grand all told.