USA Individual, US Citizen, Never Paid Taxes, Starting New Business

[Business Beginner]

This might be too technical to get an answer here... Any help would be appreciated.

I'm a US citizen who has never filed taxes because I have been mostly self-employed.

I am now living abroad and looking to start selling products on Amazon, using the FBA program. So, I would be importing products into the US and selling there.

When I go to register as a seller on Amazon, it asks if I'm a US person and for a US address.

If I register as a US citizen, will the IRS see that I have never paid taxes on my income, and not allow me to set up a business?
If I say I'm not a US citizen can I get around paying taxes because I have an address in another country??

 

[AGH the CPA]

In other words, you have avoided paying the necessary income and FICA taxes all your life and now you want us to help you figure out how to avoid paying taxes for your potential future business?

 

[Drmdcpa]

That is what I understood. Hence no reply.

 

[Business Beginner]

Not exactly...

To clarify, what I'm asking is what would happen when I start a business - would I get checked out by the IRS and maybe be stopped if they can see I have never filed? Even though I have been self-employed?

And do I register as a US citizen when I haven't lived there for a few years and my address is in another country, not the US?

Thanks for your replies! Tax stuff has always been really confusing to me, which is why I never knew how to file even when I was living in the US. I'm 27 so I wouldn't owe a lot to the IRS and would even like to settle anything out so I can start a good business.

Any tips??

 

[Drmdcpa]

How can you say you would not owe a lot but also say you do not understand. If you do not understand, how can you place any definitions on it.

Also a lot is relative. $30K is a lot to someone making $90K but maybe not so much to someone that earns $500K (I am guessing you do not otherwise you would comply and not take the risk).

If you were a resident or citizen, I am guessing you are not, and had a filing requirement but did not file, the statute of limitations has not run. Generally they have three years after the filing of a return to challenge the filing. But if you did not file, the statute did not start to run.

 

[Taxgatherer]

mm… Are you an immigrant?

So far, just one tip, I guess: speak with an Enrolled Agent. They are specialists in taxation in a federal level.

As for the company, I would hold my horses and not start anything yet.

 

[Drmdcpa]

Enrolled agents are often many levels below CPAs. CPAs tend to have a much larger view of things than EAs. This is especially true in regards to businesses.