Today, October 15th, is the last day to file a tax return that’s on extension from April 15th of this year without facing an additional penalty. If your extended return is not filed by midnight tonight, the Failure to File Penalty will be assessed.
Your return can still be mailed, as long as its postmarked today. In this instance, I would suggest using Fedex or Certified Mail, where a postmarked date can be proven. Electronic filing is also an option.
The deadline has not changed in light of the partial government shutdown. The IRS furloughed almost half its workforce this week.
Last Wednesday, a message from the Service to its employees stated, “most IRS operations are closed” due to the lapse in funding. The contingency plan “identifies those activities that will continue during a lapse of annual appropriations in order to prepare for the Tax Year 2026 filing season, to continue modernization efforts, and to ensure timely implementation of P.L. 119-21,” commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the IRS said.
Taxpayer Services will keep 24,470 staffers. Among those workers are about 3,500 new customer service representatives who began onboarding Sept. 22 and will continue through Nov. 3rd. The IRS message stated, “it’s critical they remain in training during a shutdown if they are to be ready for filing season.”
The new employees will continue training until Feb. 16, 2026, when they will begin work for the 2025 tax season.
Let me leave you with this…
If we need to get something done at the Service, there aren’t many options available given the fact that very few people are working. The last few times that I’ve called, I received a recorded message telling me that no one was available asking me to try back later.
As a practitioner, my calls are given priority and pushed to the front of the line. But as a regular taxpayer calling the 800 number, there probably isn’t much of a chance you’ll be able to get someone on the line.
For the foreseeable future, if we need something done, the only viable option is the mail. It will take forever, but sooner or later the mail will be read and the issue will be handled.
It’s been a long and difficult tax season, but everything that came in this year went out.
As I write this, our Government is partially shut down due to a funding fight over Medicare Subsidies and another trade war looms with China. Both of these situations look like they’ll go on for a while given the fact that it’s in the best interest of the warring factions to stand their ground.
And our economy sits on a precipice. Either situation, especially the one with China, could push it down the rockface.
But no matter what happens, I’m here. If you need to talk, you know my number.
We’re all going to get through this. Let’s get through it together.
Accounting Solutions Ltd. stands ready to complete our mission and purpose of protecting you, your family, and your business. Whether you need Payroll Services, or Accounting and Tax Work, you have but to ask. I’m here and I remain,
Sincerely yours,
Chris Amundson
President
Accounting Solutions Ltd.
773-267-7500
888-310-0300
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