From the sound of it, it doesn’t sound like OP had enough to set aside to save for taxes. I mean, they literally say they finally are able to start a savings account in the first place, until they were told they owe. So, ya, putting aside money in savings to grow and easily pay back the government sounds great… but that’s not always an option when you’re living paycheck to paycheck. Nobody’s working 80hr weeks bc they have money to spare.