Tax News IRS Update: The Government Shutdown and Your Taxes Read the Article Open Share Drawer Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Written by TurboTaxLisa Published Oct 2, 2013 - [Updated Aug 23, 2019] 2 min read The government shutdown that took place on October 1 left everyone with questions about how the shutdown will impact them. If you are one of the taxpayers that filed an extension, you may be wondering if the shutdown impacts filing your taxes. Don’t worry. We have you covered and have answers to your burning questions: Should I still file my extended tax return in light of the shutdown? Yes, you still need to file your tax return by the October 15th extended deadline. E-filing your return is the fastest way to have your tax return processed. Returns filed by mail will not be processed until after the shutdown is over. Acknowledgements will be issued by the IRS for e-filed accepted tax returns. You said paper filed returns will not be processed, but I have to mail mine. Will it be considered timely filed? Yes, although paper tax returns will not be processed until after the shut down is over, the postal service will still post mark your paper filed return. Any tax return postmarked by the due date will be considered filed on time by the IRS. Will the IRS shutdown exclude me from late filing penalties if I don’t file by October 15? No, the IRS still requires that you file your tax return by the extended deadline. I owe money on my 2012 taxes, what should I do? You should submit the balance owed electronically when you e-file your taxes. Payments received will still be posted to your account. If you have a previous balance due, you should submit the payment as you normally do. Will the government shutdown affect my tax refund? If you e-file your tax return, the IRS will still process your tax return as it normally would. If you are due a tax refund, it will be issued when the shutdown is over. Can I still check the status of my tax refund? If your tax return was processed before the shutdown, you can use “IRS Where’s My Refund?” to check the status of your tax refund. If you e-filed your tax return after the shutdown your e-filed tax return will be processed, however you will not be able to check the status of your refund until after the shutdown is over. I need to contact the IRS, but I can’t get through, what should I do? During the government shut down, IRS agents will not be there to take your call. At TurboTax we have you covered and are up to date with the latest tax laws. Our tax experts are available to answer your questions. For more information please view the IRS Announcement. Previous Post IRS Announcement: Tax Relief for Victims of Colorado Storms Next Post Government Shutdown is Over: IRS Will be Back to Work Written by Lisa Greene-Lewis Lisa has over 20 years of experience in tax preparation. Her success is attributed to being able to interpret tax laws and help clients better understand them. She has held positions as a public auditor, controller, and operations manager. Lisa has appeared on the Steve Harvey Show, the Ellen Show, and major news broadcast to break down tax laws and help taxpayers understand what tax laws mean to them. For Lisa, getting timely and accurate information out to taxpayers to help them keep more of their money is paramount. More from Lisa Greene-Lewis Follow Lisa Greene-Lewis on Twitter. 116 responses to “IRS Update: The Government Shutdown and Your Taxes” « Older Comments I filed my taxes jan. 20. 2 wks later I got a letter n the mail day saying in getting a desk audit for proof od eic for my gf and son that live with me.they need a c0py of there ss#. Any idea how long I xan expect ti wait to receive my taxes?? -thank you Reply I got acepeted on january 30 now it says i have an appeal 151 what does that mean i called my tax prepared she dont want to help me out Reply 151 is a way to settle an issue they have. They should be sending you correspondence about it, and next steps. Reply Did it say you have an appeal or that they are sending you a letter for additional information in the next 30 days to complete your return? Reply When I go to where’s my refund it tell me to check my information it the right information but it can’t tell me where my refund is Reply I have the same issue. I e-filed Feb 5th however it says no information available on the WMR site and the hotline #. Don’t know if this is a matter of the info not being put into the program or if they just haven’t processed mine yet. Thinking about calling tomorrow just to make sure they have it. My tax preparer said it was accepted yet according to the site, they have nothing. Reply Same here, however when I called, they said that they could not give any information until 21 days have passed. They said they did not start processing until the 31st. Your best bet is to call this week or next week, and be prepared for a long wait as this is the same info that give everyone. They will gets tons of calls about refunds after the 21 day period so I hope they are ready for the surge of callers….Oh and I filed on 1/23/2014 and still no return date or refund. My 21 days are almost over this week. Hi I did my taxes on turbo tax and i am supposed to receive 9669.00 , but I got a deposit in my bank for only 1606 three days ago is something wrong or is it just a partial payment because I do not owe money anywhere and I received they correct amount for my state in my bank account. I look on wheres my refund but it does not tell me anything Reply I filed my paper 2012 taxes in November of 2013. I believe the shutdown was in progress. I am owed money. I haven’t seen it yet. What now? Is it valid, can I check it in any way? Reply Hi James, You should call the IRS and make sure they received your 2012 taxes and are processing it. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply I tried calling, and the options are a nightmare. What is the best way to get a live person to talk to me? They make it extremely difficult for those that are owed money to get information. Reply I had got audit in 2012 but I sent my information in and they sent a letter saying how much I was going to get back but case isn’t close if I file my 2013 tax now will they audit it to or not since im in the process of getting my money for 2012 Reply thats my same situation I had got audited for 2012 but I fixed it and tgey issued my refund out. Reply Hi My boyfriend went to this tax preparer, i have mi itin number that my mom was to used for her taxes but she hasnt used it since 2011.. I gave it to him so he can add me as a dependent!! The tax preparer didnt ask anything and when she printed the papers the amount of the refund was lower!! Why did this happen? Maybe is the tax preparer hidding something or this could be posible to happen? 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I filed my taxes jan. 20. 2 wks later I got a letter n the mail day saying in getting a desk audit for proof od eic for my gf and son that live with me.they need a c0py of there ss#. Any idea how long I xan expect ti wait to receive my taxes?? -thank you Reply
I got acepeted on january 30 now it says i have an appeal 151 what does that mean i called my tax prepared she dont want to help me out Reply
151 is a way to settle an issue they have. They should be sending you correspondence about it, and next steps. Reply
Did it say you have an appeal or that they are sending you a letter for additional information in the next 30 days to complete your return? Reply
When I go to where’s my refund it tell me to check my information it the right information but it can’t tell me where my refund is Reply
I have the same issue. I e-filed Feb 5th however it says no information available on the WMR site and the hotline #. Don’t know if this is a matter of the info not being put into the program or if they just haven’t processed mine yet. Thinking about calling tomorrow just to make sure they have it. My tax preparer said it was accepted yet according to the site, they have nothing. Reply
Same here, however when I called, they said that they could not give any information until 21 days have passed. They said they did not start processing until the 31st. Your best bet is to call this week or next week, and be prepared for a long wait as this is the same info that give everyone. They will gets tons of calls about refunds after the 21 day period so I hope they are ready for the surge of callers….Oh and I filed on 1/23/2014 and still no return date or refund. My 21 days are almost over this week.
Hi I did my taxes on turbo tax and i am supposed to receive 9669.00 , but I got a deposit in my bank for only 1606 three days ago is something wrong or is it just a partial payment because I do not owe money anywhere and I received they correct amount for my state in my bank account. I look on wheres my refund but it does not tell me anything Reply
I filed my paper 2012 taxes in November of 2013. I believe the shutdown was in progress. I am owed money. I haven’t seen it yet. What now? Is it valid, can I check it in any way? Reply
Hi James, You should call the IRS and make sure they received your 2012 taxes and are processing it. Thank you, Lisa Greene-Lewis Reply
I tried calling, and the options are a nightmare. What is the best way to get a live person to talk to me? They make it extremely difficult for those that are owed money to get information. Reply
I had got audit in 2012 but I sent my information in and they sent a letter saying how much I was going to get back but case isn’t close if I file my 2013 tax now will they audit it to or not since im in the process of getting my money for 2012 Reply
thats my same situation I had got audited for 2012 but I fixed it and tgey issued my refund out. Reply
Hi My boyfriend went to this tax preparer, i have mi itin number that my mom was to used for her taxes but she hasnt used it since 2011.. I gave it to him so he can add me as a dependent!! The tax preparer didnt ask anything and when she printed the papers the amount of the refund was lower!! Why did this happen? Maybe is the tax preparer hidding something or this could be posible to happen? Reply