Sporadic Worker Stops Paying Taxes

DEAR HARRIETTE: I feel stuck, and I am not sure what to do. I have worked on and off for a few years now after having had a good job for decades. After my work situation changed, I stopped doing everything, including my taxes. I know today is Tax Day, but I have done absolutely nothing to file. It's almost like I took myself off the grid, but I'm worried that what little money I am earning will be taken away -- or worse -- if I don't get it together and get up to date. As my mother used to say, "You don't have to do anything in life other than pay taxes and die." Why am I being so irresponsible? I can't seem to shake out of it. What do you recommend I do to turn this around? -- No More Hiding

DEAR NO MORE HIDING: Congratulations for looking your problem in the face. The only way to resolve this is to address it, and you are right: You must file your taxes. The government does not forget you if you neglect it!

The good news is that the government makes it easy for you to take the first step. You can go online to file for an extension to submit your taxes. This will set the wheels in motion. If you have multiple years where you have not filed, your request to extend may be denied. That's OK. At least you will be in the system acknowledging that you want to get started rectifying this situation. This is the link: irs.gov/forms-pubs/extension-of-time-to-file-your-tax-return.

You can also go to a local IRS office to have a meeting with an agent who can talk you through the steps you need to take to get current. Take your last filed taxes along with all W-2s and other proof of income to show the agent that you are serious. This can seem daunting, but once you clear up this part of your life, you will feel so much relief.

If you have the resources to hire help, consider that, too. A tax preparer will be able to help you organize your paperwork and understand what deductibles you can include. If you believe you will owe a substantial amount of money, you may want to consider a debt consolidator to help you negotiate with the IRS. Good luck!

DEAR HARRIETTE: The guy I had a crush on throughout college moved to Japan after graduation to live with his mom. While I consider myself attractive, there were other girls on campus who were prettier, and he was somewhat popular. He's a year older than me, so he finished school earlier.

Today, two years later, I have an admirer I'm beginning to develop feelings for. However, my former crush just slid into my DMs on Instagram, asking if we could grab coffee. I'm feeling confused. -- Should I Go?

DEAR SHOULD I GO?: Look at the person before you. Are your feelings about him sincere? Do you see a possible future with him? If so, give him a chance. If it's still early on and you aren't sure, you can have coffee with this other guy, but tread lightly. There is a difference between a crush and potential true commitment. What do you want?

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(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)