<prompt> Human: Thanks in advance for any much needed advice, sorry for the format, Im on mobile. I worked on and off as a stripper for the last five years, never once filing taxes. Bad I know, but I am ready to find a real job and resolve any issues brought about by this poor life choice. I would like to return to college but would not be able to apply to FAFSA due to my lack of filing. Overall I would like to know what steps I need to take, and how to best go about reporting to the IRS. I kept almost all of the money off the books except for around five grand a year at the absolute max put into bank accounts to pay bills such as car insurance and the occasional car payment or anything else that I couldnt pay in cash. Otherwise bills such as my phone groceries and almost all car payments were paid in cash on site or through Wal-Marts bill paying option. I always paid rent in cash to roommates found through friends, so nothing there on record either. I tried my best to keep as little money going through my accounts as possible. I do have a credit card but again I rarely use it other than when vitally necessary. When hired at the club it was strongly emphasized that I was a subcontractor not an employee. I remember they made a copy of my social security card and my state ID, so they definitely have my info on record. But I have never received any 1099s from them or any other paperwork since the start of working there. My dances were recorded every shift along with my room earnings, stage money was not. Is there a way to find out if they reported my income? I wouldnt be surprised if they havent but am no longer in contact with the club to ask. I am living on the little savings I have left, since quitting a few months ago, while searching for a new job. Is it best to wait to talk to the IRS until I have a new income and will be able to pay what they decide I owe? Or should I bite the bullet and approach them now, even with a lack of ability to pay? It it possible to just say I was being supported by a boyfriendfriends or something to explain the cash that went into my account? Or since its below 10k can I say it was various gifts through out the year? Im just trying to figure out how best to dig myself out of this hole of shame I danced my way into, and return to school. If it matters I did file taxes when working as an employee at real jobs prior to dancing.  <response>: It would probably be a good idea to work toward some of these ways people are suggesting in this thread! It would probably not be a great idea to say you were being supported by a boyfriendfriends or that it was various gifts over the years - lying about money earned in that way would be considered tax fraud, and thats probably a bad direction to go :-An important thing to be clear about, though, is that when you talk about this poor life choice, the one to talk about is the choice not to file taxes for the income you earned from your job, not the choice to work as a stripper. You may reflect on it how you like, but its certainly not for anybody to judge you at all or tell you you should be ashamed for finding a way to earn a living in a way that worked for you at the time. No need to talk about it in comparison to real jobs - you did a job and you were paid for it; thats as real as it gets. ...and incidentally, real enough to owe taxes on it as well : I hope you get sorted out and find your way to a life path that feels right to you! 