Do I need to 'make nice' with the IRS

[keith]

I'm not trying to get free legal advice here, I'm just trying to get an idea of the scope of what I need to do and where I need to start.

I have lived in Australia for over 35 years.

I filed US tax returns for the first two years when I was still catching up with US earnings.

After that I was never over the US/Australia tax treaty limit (as I understood them to be), and even though I understood that I should file US returns, I couldn't be bothered to pry US financial year data from my employer or convert it USA reporting FY to match the Aussie FY.

I have been retired for 13 years now, and I'm thinking that I maybe aught to see if my US Social Security is worth anything. And a friend said they just collected their Pandemic stimulus check in Melbourne. I have no bank account in the USA.

Is there any document that addresses what I might need to do to make nice?
Does anybody know of any trustworthy advisors in Australia that might straighten me out?

Thanks in advance.

[wserra]

I'm not trying to get free legal advice

There are plenty of folks here with a good deal of knowledge about taxes. I'm guessing that no one has answered you, not because you are seeking something for nothing, but because what you're seeking does amount to legal advice. While we write a fair amount about the law in general, and about tax law in specific, we do not and should not advise anyone about his/her individual situation. Except for sovereigns and tax protesters, of course, in whose cases said advice consists of "Stop being an idiot".

Ninety-nine percent of the people who post here are from the US, Canada and the UK, so it's unlikely anyone here could point you to a specific person in Australia from whom to seek advice. However, I'm certain that in any metropolitan area such people exist.

Good luck.

[keith]

I'm not trying to get free legal advice

I'm guessing that no one has answered you, not because you are seeking something for nothing, but because what you're seeking does amount to legal advice.

Yes, I truly was not expecting anybody to give legal advice, this is NOT the right venue for that.

I was hoping there might be a more general answer along the lines of "talk to the 'Royal Australian Organization of Aussie/Yankee Tax Repairers".

However, I'm certain that in any metropolitan area such people exist.

Good luck.

Yeah, I'm just looking for a short cut to the right people. I'll find someone. "Democrats Abroad" usually send out a notice round about US tax time with some recommendations, but I can't find it now, I must have deleted it by accident.

Thanks for your response.

[Arthur Rubin]

You might try https://au.usembassy.gov/wp-content/upl ... ltants.pdf

I don't normally place disclaimers on my posts here, but the google snippet suggests it's a list from a US Consulate in Australia. Might be a list of Australian tax preparers of US taxes who haven't yet been caught doing something seriously wrong.