Lots of Non-Filers are not out to rip off the IRS. They figure they have a refund, so the due date is not important to them. After all, the penalties for late filing are all based on the amount owed to the IRS. Late filing turns into a habit and many times that delay turns into years.
Here is the catch. You only have three years from the due date of the return to file and claim your refund. Once the three years are up, too bad. I know of cases where this has happened to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars. Many times, somebody will have a big year and find out they owe, but it is too late to use the prior year’s refunds to offset that liability.
Unless your intention is to make a voluntary contribution to the US Treasury, file the return. The IRS does not have the power to fix this, once the three years are gone.
