Unfortunately, the vast majority of the transactions are computer generated. Your employer sends a copy of your W-2 directly to the IRS electronically. You have roughly until the summer after the previous tax filing close on October 15 to file. (So, for 2025 income, with a tax return extension due date of October 15, 2026, you have roughly until July of 2027.). After that, the IRS issues a matching notice and requests a tax return. From there, you have roughly 6 more months (if you ignore the letters) before the IRS produces its own version of what your return should be, using the most disadvantaged numbers as possible, and starts garnishing your wages and putting liens on your property.
If you do not respond to the letters, it is just an automated process. The computer system is set to continuously churn out escalating notices, every 30 days. Then, it flips to sending a notice to your employer to start involuntarily taking money out of your paycheck.
Just a rough outline of what goes on.
If you are heading down that path, my suggestion is to not ignore the letters. Request extensions of time, continue to communicate. If you are communicating, it rarely gets escalated to garnishment. As well, communication then brings in a person, versus just the computer.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of the transactions are computer generated. Your employer sends a copy of your W-2 directly to the IRS electronically. You have roughly until the summer after the previous tax filing close on October 15 to file. (So, for 2025 income, with a tax return extension due date of October 15, 2026, you have roughly until July of 2027.). After that, the IRS issues a matching notice and requests a tax return. From there, you have roughly 6 more months (if you ignore the letters) before the IRS produces its own version of what your return should be, using the most disadvantaged numbers as possible, and starts garnishing your wages and putting liens on your property.
If you do not respond to the letters, it is just an automated process. The computer system is set to continuously churn out escalating notices, every 30 days. Then, it flips to sending a notice to your employer to start involuntarily taking money out of your paycheck.
Just a rough outline of what goes on.
If you are heading down that path, my suggestion is to not ignore the letters. Request extensions of time, continue to communicate. If you are communicating, it rarely gets escalated to garnishment. As well, communication then brings in a person, versus just the computer.
My 2 cents … for what it’s worth!