I am a resident alien abroad (Green Card).
I've lived abroad for a while because I was at college & didn't know I needed to file but intend to this year. I'm going back to the US next year. What should I do?

You have two different problems. First, you should file the return you missed as soon as possible. Second, you need to make sure your green card is still current. If you've been outside the US for more than a year, you may have a problem.

Thanks.

I have a big problem - there are lots of years that I have missed through pure ignorance although when I was in college I did not earn enough to file (less than $8k/yr). Am sure my GC is current because I have never been gone longer than a year and spent 6 months this year stateside. I want to resettle permanently and am worried I won't be able to. How much trouble am I in?

You must file all your returns if you were required to file. If any tax is due for any year, you will pay interest and penalty that is the amount keeps on multiplying. So in your best interest file soon and pay the tax (with interest and penalty).

You don't need to be in the U.S. to file your returns. Also you must now file paper return for 2006 and previous years; you can't e-file.

Why don't you do your 2006 return this week? Then complete your previous returns. Then you will know exactly how much trouble you are in.

For 2006, you must use 2006 1040EZ/1040 and so on. These forms are available at
Internal Revenue Service (http://www.irs.gov)

You probably don't have a major disaster level problem given the low income levels involved. But you absolutely need to get done as soon as possible.

The green card becomes a big issue if you go out of the US and are away extended periods because it can be forfeited. It sounds like you were not away for more than a year at a time.

I routinely handle cases of filing multiple returns for long-term procrastinators like yourself.

The record for me is 12 years. How many years are we talking about?