October tax deadline remains for many tax filers, even during government shutdown
The Oct. 15 income tax filing deadline is right around the corner for taxpayers who requested an automatic six-month extension to file their tax returns.
And just days before, the Internal Revenue Service began furloughing roughly 34,400 of its nearly 74,300 employees on Oct. 8.
What do you do? File on time, the experts say. Don’t try to use the shutdown as an excuse to drag your feet. If you do, you could owe even more money.
Another tip: It could be more important to file your return electronically to avoid delays, if you’re anticipating a tax refund. Don’t wait until the last minute on Oct. 15, either.
Tax experts stress that Oct. 15 continues to be the deadline for many people who requested an extension back in April.
“There is no furlough in the filing deadline,” said Tom O’Saben, an enrolled agent and director of tax content and government relations for the National Association of Tax Professionals.
If you miss the required Oct. 15 deadline, experts say, you could trigger a failure to file penalty and any interest charges on outstanding tax liabilities owed.
More: IRS releases federal income tax brackets for 2026
The extension gave tax filers extra time to file, but taxpayers did not receive more time to pay if they owe. Taxpayers were obligated to pay taxes due on April 15, 2025, to avoid penalties and interest.
The IRS will still be processing returns and tracking whether taxpayers file them in a timely manner, said Matt Hetherwick, chief program officer for the Accounting Aid Society in Detroit.
“Tax laws are not delayed due to the federal government shutdown, which means the IRS is required to continue to collect any taxes due,” he said.
He also says it could be more important to request direct deposit of any refund so that it might be processed more quickly by the IRS computer systems. Trying to get a paper check for a refund could be much tougher.
“And if they owe taxes, pay them by electronic means,” O’Saben said.
Someone who files a paper return, experts said, should be prepared for processing delays and a longer wait time if they are expecting a refund.
“Every government shutdown is different, but taxpayers could start to notice a delay in processing returns or issuing refunds,” said Mark Steber, chief tax officer for Jackson Hewitt Tax Services.
Steber also noted that taxpayers who are on any kind of installment agreement or payment plan need to meet their deadlines, too.
The Internal Revenue Service has announced that IRS Free File will begin accepting individual tax returns as of Jan. 10, 2025, for the 2024 tax season.
George Smith, a CPA with Andrews Hooper Pavlik in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, said he sees some risks with doing anything by paper right now. If someone owes money and sends the payment via check through the mail, Smith said, there could be a problem proving the IRS received it on time.
“The same with people who still mail in their tax returns to the IRS rather than file electronically,” Smith said.
If anyone is using the United States Postal Service to send anything to the IRS for the Oct. 15 deadline, he recommends using certified mail so they can prove the mailing date.
Again, get cracking to file, even if the IRS furloughs are triggering more uncertainty in how government services will be handled as the federal government shutdown drags on.
“The deadline is still Oct. 15 unless you were impacted by a federally declared disaster and live in a location that received a further extension,” said Lisa Greene-Lewis, a certified public accountant and TurboTax spokesperson.
You cannot file after Oct. 15 and avoid penalties simply due to the shutdown, according to TurboTax.
What kind of problems might you expect? The IRS notes that essential workers who remain on the job will continue to process tax returns.
Melanie Lauridsen, vice president of tax policy and advocacy at the American Institute of CPAs, said the industry group would like to see the IRS operating at 100% of its staffing during the duration of the federal government shutdown.
“Any shutdown can create greater backlogs for the IRS and hardships for taxpayers and practitioners,” Lauridsen noted.
Experts say it is likely to become more challenging to reach the IRS for assistance if you’ve received a letter or notice from the IRS.
‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ offers Americans lots of tax benefits. Here are a few to plan for
“The biggest challenge in the short term will be the reduced ability of the IRS to communicate with taxpayers and practitioners who have questions related to returns or other activity, such as correspondence,” said Garrett Watson, director of policy analysis at the nonpartisan Tax Foundation.
Watson said the other set of delays that can be expected applies to guidance and implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act tax provisions. Such delays relating to the new tax changes may increase with the shutdown.
“There’s not a lot taxpayers can do to mitigate this challenge, but submitting items on time and continuing with their side of the work would be best practice,” Watson said.
Another key tip: Watch out for scams or fake texts. Con artists often try to take advantage of times of great confusion, such as a government shutdown.
The Internal Revenue Service posted an alert online for what it called an “IRS-wide furlough,” which began Oct. 8 for all employees except those already identified as exempt employees.
According to the latest contingency plan, furlough letters have been sent to employees impacted by the federal government shutdown. Some 39,870 employees — or 53.6% of the IRS staff — are viewed as exempt from the cuts.
Experts say most of the IRS employees who will remain on the job work in jobs that serve the public.
The federal government shutdown began on Oct. 1. But the IRS kept all employees on the job for the first five business days of the shutdown.
More: Do IRS cuts mean you can make mistakes on your taxes? Some think so.
Doreen Greenwald, the national president of the National Treasury Employees Union, issued a statement warning that taxpayers can “expect increased wait times, backlogs and delays implementing tax law changes as the shutdown continues.”
The IRS has much work to do ahead to prepare for the 2026 tax season, which will involve a long list of tax changes, including tax breaks on tips, overtime, car loan interest, and a new deduction for those age 65 and older for those who qualify.
“Taxpayers around the country will now have a much harder time getting the assistance they need, just as they get ready to file their extension returns due next week,” Greenwald said in her statement. “Every day these employees are locked out of work is another day of frustration for taxpayers and a growing backlog of work that sits and waits for the shutdown to end.”
(This story has been updated with new information.)
Contact personal finance columnist Susan Tompor: stompor@freepress.com. Follow her on X @tompor.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: October tax deadline remains for many filers, even during shutdown
