Taxes question - Legality

[cpals]

My girlfriend's friend knows that I've done a couple other people's taxes on my computer and asked if I could do hers. I said sure, but when she gave me her W-2s and such she had both 2004 and 2005 slips in there. I asked her what this was for and she said that she 'forgot' to do them last year... how you can forget to do taxes I don't know, but she did. So I'm wondering what her options are and if I can even do this with my software program (TurboTax).

She would have got money back from 2004 tax year so I don't know how the IRS looks at this stuff. Should I just skip the 2004 tax year and file her 2005 taxes or will that get her in trouble? Or does she still need to file her 2004 taxes?

Update:
Okay, this is getting to be more trouble than it's worth (to me). So I'm just going to do her 2005 taxes and she can worry about 2004. She was living in Chicago for most of last year and moved back to Florida this year. Do I file state taxes or how does that work? I've never done state taxes since I live in FL.

 

[Dissipate]

She would have got money back from 2004 tax year so I don't know how the IRS looks at this stuff. Should I just skip the 2004 tax year and file her 2005 taxes or will that get her in trouble? Or does she still need to file her 2004 taxes?

If the IRS owed her money and she didn't file to claim it do you really think they care?

 

[cpals]

Originally posted by: Dissipate

She would have got money back from 2004 tax year so I don't know how the IRS looks at this stuff. Should I just skip the 2004 tax year and file her 2005 taxes or will that get her in trouble? Or does she still need to file her 2004 taxes?

If the IRS owed her money and she didn't file to claim it do you really think they care?

Well, some things you never know. I think I remember reading on here about if you pay the IRS too much throughout the year (businesses) then they penalize you, which doesn't make much sense to me either.

 

[snoturtle]

If she's getting a refund for 04 why not file????

And no the IRS would rather you didn't if they owe you money

 

[cpals]

Originally posted by: snoturtle
If she's getting a refund for 04 why not file????

And no the IRS would rather you didn't if they owe you money

She can file her 2004 taxes now? I did not know that. I assume it's a little more than just sending them in with her 2005 taxes.

 

[kranky]

You can't file 2004 returns with the 2005 version of TurboTax (or any other tax software). They are only good for the current tax forms.

Do her 2005 taxes if you want, and give her the 2004 W-2s back. Let her get the forms from the IRS website and figure out whether she owes or gets a refund. If she has a refund coming, she can still get it.

I would bet you $5 that she's too lazy to do the work herself. Heck, she could probably do her own 2005 taxes with the EZ form in 10 minutes.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Just file her 2005 taxes. The IRS will be sure to pay her a visit. to handle the 2004 taxes.

 

[FoBoT]

you need last years software to do 2004
she should do it

if she is due a refund, then the penalty for not filing/filing late is x% of the tax due, since no tax is due, the penalty is $0.00

she should file 2004 and get her money back, letting the govt. keep it is a poor choice

 

[cpals]

Originally posted by: kranky
You can't file 2004 returns with the 2005 version of TurboTax (or any other tax software). They are only good for the current tax forms.

Do her 2005 taxes if you want, and give her the 2004 W-2s back. Let her get the forms from the IRS website and figure out whether she owes or gets a refund. If she has a refund coming, she can still get it.

I would bet you $5 that she's too lazy to do the work herself. Heck, she could probably do her own 2005 taxes with the EZ form in 10 minutes.

Yeah, a few of the people I do their taxes can't seem to figure out how to fill-in-the-blank....

 

[cpals]

Update