Every spring, Clark gets calls from people who have not filed taxes in years and are wondering if they are going to get caught. He always encourages people to come out of the cold and file. The IRS may not ever track you down, it’s true. But if they do, it will get really ugly for you. The chances of being found have also increased because of new data mining programs that the government is using. In California, for example, this new program found tons of people who didn’t file income taxes in 2002, according to the Wall Street Journal. Among the non-filers were 865 millionaires, nearly 7,000 lawyers and 1,500 accountants. These people are making significant money and some are even working in the tax field, but they think they are above the law. New Jersey shares its information with other states, and New York is working with the IRS to find people. If you owe the government money, they can retro tax you for as long as they like. If they owe you money, you lose it if you don’t claim it within three years. If you are hiding, Clark wants to give you fair warning. Offer yourself up and you will be fine. If you continue not to pay, you could become an example.