There could be many reasons you haven’t filed or paid taxes. Below are some examples of common situations.
You missed the deadline
We grant an automatic extension to October 15th for those who missed the deadline to file their income tax returns. There is no application required. For more information, visit Personal due dates.
You have not filled in the last one or more years
You should file your tax return as soon as you can if you haven’t filed one or more years ago. This will help reduce the interest and penalties that you might owe. For the relevant tax years, visit our instructions and forms to find the forms that you will need.
You can live in California and work in another state.
You are a California resident if you reside in California but work in another state. For your filing requirements, visit residents
You can live in another state but work in California
For your filing requirements, visit a part-year resident or nonresident if you are a California resident but live in another state.
You don’t have the money to pay taxes
File your tax return even if you are unable to pay taxes. We can help you settle your outstanding balance once you have filed. This could be you:
- To make a payment plan
- To delay your bill payment
- An offer of compromise
Are you having trouble finding your documents?
It is possible that you are missing some documents necessary to complete your tax return. Contact your employer if you have not received or lost a W-2. For a copy of your state tax returns, please visit How can I get a copy? For more information, visit
Are you a Californian businessman and have not yet filed a California Business License?
California’s tax laws apply to all businesses that do business in California. To find out what filing requirements you have based on your type of business, visit our Business filing page. You may be eligible for our Voluntary Disclosure Program if you are a trust or corporation.
This article was written by Alla Tenina. Alla is one of the best tax attorneys in Los Angeles California, and the founder of Tenina law. She has experience in bankruptcies, real estate planning, and complex tax matters. The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. This website contains links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser; the ABA and its members do not recommend or endorse the contents of the third-party sites.
