paid back taxes, but IRS doesn't know penalty/interest yet. should I check "YES" or "NO" on N400?

[stefpix]

I have been a permanent resident for 5 years, I just filed and paid back taxes. I went to the local IRS office and paid what the tax preparer said I owed. The IRS person was unable to compute the late penalty and interest. If I apply for citizenship should I mark I owe money to the IRS or not? I would have paid the penalties if the local IRS office would have provided me the amount, but it will take probably 2 months to know. I wonder if I can answer "No" on the N-400 form about owing money, since I do not owe the interest/ penalty yet? I am afraid that answering "yes" may be a red flag, thanks

 

[Bobsmyth]

You would answer no since you already paid the overdue taxes.

 

[stefpix]

Thanks. So I could answer I do not owe any taxes
even if I owe interest and penalties that have not been calculated yet?

s

 

[Jackolantern]

At this point, write NO for that question. You don't really know if you owe anything; after the IRS runs their official calculations on your tax return they might even end up giving you a refund because you paid too much.

If you get the notification from IRS that you owe something, and are unable to pay it before the interview, bring the IRS letter to the interview and explain the situation.

 

[baikal3]

I have been a permanent resident for 5 years, I just filed and paid back taxes. I went to the local IRS office and paid what the tax preparer said I owed. The IRS person was unable to compute the late penalty and interest. If I apply for citizenship should I mark I owe money to the IRS or not? I would have paid the penalties if the local IRS office would have provided me the amount, but it will take probably 2 months to know. I wonder if I can answer "No" on the N-400 form about owing money, since I do not owe the interest/ penalty yet? I am afraid that answering "yes" may be a red flag, thanks

There are actually two separate questions about taxes in Part 10.A of the form N-400.

Question 4 asks: "Since becoming an LPR, have you ever failed to file a required Federal, State or local tax return?"

Question 5 asks "Do you owe any Federal, State or local taxes that are overdue?"

As others have noted above, for the moment the correct answer to Q5 appears to be "No".

However, you may have to answer "Yes" for Q4, depending on the additional details that you did not provide in your post. You say "I just filed and paid back taxes". Why exactly did you have to file back tax returns? Was it because you did not file the tax returns for those years earlier? If so, you'd have to answer "yes" to Q4 (assuming that your income for those years was high enough that you were actually required to file tax returns).