Here's What the Government Shutdown Means for the IRS and for Taxpayers

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Editor's Note: This article is from our new publication, Tax Practice News. A news source for the tax preparer; to help get your firm into good habits, efficient workflow procedures and help with the overall success of your firm. Subscribe to this weekly publication, here.

*Information updated as of 1/8/2019

I’m sure you’re wondering how the federal government shutdown will affect your tax business and your clients. Luckily, our friends at Latino Tax Pro have released this informative article to help you plan for an already stressful tax season. Check it out:

The bad news: The IRS is among the government agencies affected by the government shutdown.

The good news: The IRS has a contingency plan in place which addresses which services the agency will and will not offer during the shutdown.

During the shutdown, the IRS is still offering the following services:

  • Processing electronic and paper filed returns
  • Processing disaster relief transcripts
  • Design and printing of tax forms
  • Accepting payments
  • Issuing refunds!

During the shutdown, the IRS will NOT be offering the following services:

  • Answering phone calls – try it! 800-829-1040
  • Processing 1040X amended returns
  • Conducting audits or examinations of returns

The IRS has confirmed the 2019 tax filing season to begin January 28th despite the government shutdown. We encourage you to preparer for a fun and crazy tax season and suggest you stay updated on what's going on with the government shutdown, to make sure you’re up-to-date on all the new tax changes before the season starts.

Author Bio: Antonio Martinez is the VP of Business Development for LTPA. In 2004 Tony earned a full-ride scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley. Tony majored in Engineering and was involved in various leadership and volunteer roles. Upon graduation, Tony joined the LTPA with a goal of building a national brand. As VP of Business Development, Tony has led the exponential growth of the organization and organized various events throughout the country. In 2014 Antonio became an Enrolled Agent with the goal of representing immigrant taxpayers before the IRS.