What is the law about not filing a tax return when you owe nothing?

Barkley Hound: What is the law about not filing a tax return when you owe nothing?
This question is just theoretical since you would be throwing money away. If the amount withheld from your pay is greater than or equal to your tax liability are there any criminal repercussions for not filing a tax return? All penalties are based on percentages of the amount owed. Please don’t just give me what you think. Please give me a link to the specific law and criminal penalties. Every law I can find is for not paying your taxes, not for not filing.
Many people say that the IRS says you have to file. I have seen that statement. My question is what happens if you don’t file. If you owe nothing can they send you to jail for not filing? All I am asking is to please point out the penalties.

Answers and Views:

Answer by sweet sue
I just did my taxes and according to my accountant since I was to get money back from the year I did not file i cannot get into trouble. She said they wold come after me if I owed mony bu that the tax man doesn’t want to give money back unless it’s askedfor. Hopefully she’s right.

Answer by basketcase88
If you have made over a certain amount, regardless if you owe tax, you must file. The amount is dependent on if you’re single, married filing jointly, or married filing singly. I’ll find the article I read the other day. Here it is:

https://www.dailyfinance.com/category/taxes/

Answer by wyntre_2000
According to the IRS, if you can answer all of the questions at the following page, as well as the answers that follow later, then you do not have to file a tax return and there is no penalty.

Read all the answers on this page, then click Yes or No at the bottom and continue to answer questions.

Answer by misty0408
Well, I don’t have a law or link for you…sorry. But my son did not file his 2004 taxes. He would have gotten a small refund…like $ 30.00.

Well, he just got a notice in the mail that he owed $ 1500 with interest and penalties. So, of course…now he’s sent in his 2004 taxes, but he is unsure if he will still owe penalties.

Your employer sends in how much you made. If you do not file, then they take what you made and send you a notice that you owe taxes on that. They don’t do all the exemptions and all…so you need to file.

I’ve always heard that you have to file. If you owe nothing..or are getting a refund…you have 3 years to file.

.

Answer by gussarcoffa
Whether or not you have to file is a function of your gross income. The instructions for form 1040 (available as i1040.pdf on www.irs.gov) explain this. For example, if you’re single and under 65 you wouldn’t have to file if you grossed less than $ 8450. Otherwise you would, and you’d need to itemize your deductions and credits etc. to show why you owed nothing.

Answer by Mark S
If you do not file, the IRS can take the information it receives from all the people that sent information about money you earned and calculate a tax liability. It may not take into account filing status, basis (what you paid for stock sold) and some credit you might be eligible for.

This could mean that the IRS thinks you owe money when you might not if you filed a return.

Our tax system is based on voluntary reporting. If you fail to report, the IRS will assess the tax due based what they know.