(USA) 1040 filing (or lack thereof) and criminal background checks...

Now, I have lived abroad for quite some time and never earned enough to qualify for paying the US's ridiculous tax when not living there but I know that it has been the case for a while that even if you earn nothing you still have to send in a 1040 file, (there was a time I was earning next to nothing). I know I have to go through the FBI to get a crimimal background check and I was wondering if this lack of 1040 filing makes me 'criminal' or if it would come up at all? I am actually more than a bit worried about this so any advice would be appreciated here on this matter. I suppose I could back-file if necessary, even if I am a 'criminal' for this I don't think they will hunt me down and throw me in jail. Well, in any event, advice would be very much appreciated, cheers all

Re: (USA) 1040 filing (or lack thereof) and criminal ...

THIS POSTING IS AN OPINION, NOT A STATEMENT OF LAW.

Failure to file is a) usually treated as a civil violation, not a criminal one, and b) doesn't create record unless the IRS is looking for you.

Unless you are in trouble with the IRS, nothing you have done will show up on a criminal record check.  In the years you made no money, you had no obligation to file.  In the years you did make money, you probably did not make enough to pay taxes (currently over US$90,000.)  Your criminal background check should come up clean.

Failure to file doesn't usually result in any action by the IRS unless they know you owe them money.  Once they become aware of you, they will check, but until then, you are just another non-income earner.

The usual way to find out what is on your criminal record check, and the one I always recommend, is to get one.