Hi Madge, I’m so sorry that Murphy’s Law has struck you. Your post reminded me of the days where it seemed when I was hit by one blow after the other. When I found out that my hb had not filed taxes for many yrs and that I was guilty by association so to speak, I panicked. Our case was not as severe as yours but here is what I found out when I was trying to sort out the mess: There is something called “innocent spouse” claim. My record with the IRS was wiped clean by me stating that I had no idea what my hb had done. I had never participated in filing our taxes other than signing the form. Since he prepared the return and mailed it off (or not), I had no clue really what was going on. I was advised by the IRS to file my taxes separately from my hb and have done so ever since. It does not matter, if you have an income or not. It will be difficult and he will not be able to claim you in the future but at this point in time it is irrelevant I should think. There are people who are able to help you with all the legal issues, a tax lawyer comes to mind. Maybe it is worth checking this out before the proverbial feces hit the fan? BTW, my hb was able to reduce his final tax debt by 2/3 when he finally came to his senses and went to the local IRS office to lay the truth out for them. And it might be helpful to have any kind of evaluation/assessment re his gambling addiction and mental health issues in writing to help you prove your case if push comes to shove. Hope it helps.
