Not everyone has a Charlie Sheen they can turn to when the IRS comes knocking. You can blame your accountant for your IRS problem, or you can blame your ex-spouse, or you can blame the economy. But chances are the IRS won’t care whose fault you perceive it is; they will just want the tax debt paid.
It is human nature to try to ignore the problem for as long as possible. We procrastinate and we hope it will go away on its own. Some of our clients don’t file returns when they become due for fear of incurring more and more debt. However, in most cases, failing to file only makes things worse. Some people ignore IRS notices or don’t even open IRS mail when it comes — again, this is not the best course of action.
The best way to get back on track with the IRS is to file all past-due returns and face the problem head-on by getting in touch with a tax professional as soon as possible.