1. File your tax return on time, especially if you can't afford to pay what you owe.
If the government owes you money, not filing a return means not getting your refund. It also opens you to the possibility of identity theft, with someone else using your Social Security number to claim your refund.
If you owe the government money, not filing your return means that you’ve added a late-filing penalty to the taxes you owe and the interest the IRS will charge you on unpaid taxes.
