Service Annoucement: Tax filing requirements for early 2019 applicants.

[simonka0505]

I am applying december 2020, my eligibility period is from 2015-12-01 to 2020-12-01. Do I put taxes 2020,2019,2018,2017,2016 with 2020 not filled yet and do i have to say no tax season yet on separate letter? or is it ok to start 2019,2018,2017,2016,2015 with all filled.

Thank you for clarification. Im so confused

 

[EUK]

2019 2018 2017 2016 2015... You cannot put 2020 as you haven't filled it yet...

 

[simonka0505]

So they dont expect me to put

2020
Required to file YES
Taxes filled NO

Because I am applying for citizenship this year.

Thank you

 

[BOYX]

So they dont expect me to put

2020
Required to file YES
Taxes filled NO

Because I am applying for citizenship this year.

Thank you

No, you can only begin filling your taxes around the end of Jan 2021. Therefore, it is to my understanding that you technically aren't required to file your taxes just yet.

 

[dpenabill]

I am applying december 2020, my eligibility period is from 2015-12-01 to 2020-12-01. Do I put taxes 2020,2019,2018,2017,2016 with 2020 not filled yet and do i have to say no tax season yet on separate letter? or is it ok to start 2019,2018,2017,2016,2015 with all filled.

Thank you for clarification. Im so confused

If you apply before the end of 2020 (application dated December 31, 2020 or before), the preceding *five tax years* are 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 . . . as observed by @EUK.

I am not clear what @EUK meant in saying "you cannot put 2020 as you haven't filled it yet... "

If this was meant to say that you do not list 2020 because that is not a year that is *completed* yet, that is correct. The applicant must report regarding the PREVIOUS five tax years.

If this was in reference to whether a tax return was *filed* or not, yet, that has NOTHING to do with which five tax years are relevant. The relevant five years are based specifically on the date the application is made . . . the five tax years preceding the year in which the application is made.

Reminder: any year for which the applicant can check "no" for not required to file a return, counts as one of the three years in compliance with tax filing laws. The requirement does not specify how many years the applicant must have filed a return, but rather how many (3 out of 5) years in which the applicant must have complied with the tax filing laws. (Still better to have complied with the tax filing laws for all five years, but that is not what is required.)