If you are one of the millions of Americans who filed for an extension on your federal tax return back in April, you might be wondering if you still need to pay your taxes by October 15 because of the current government shutdown.
The simple answer is yes—for most filers. (Two exceptions, however, are if you were affected by a federally declared disaster, or if you were living out of the country on the due date.) Even though the Trump administration has furloughed 34,400 of some 74,300 employees, according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the deadline still stands.
“Due to the government shutdown, the American people lost access to many vital services provided by the IRS when the agency furloughed thousands of employees,” the National Treasury Employees Union said. “Expect increased wait times, backlogs, and delays implementing tax law changes as the shutdown continues. Taxpayers around the country will now have a much harder time getting the assistance they need.”
“There is no furlough in the filing deadline,” Tom O’Saben, director of tax content and government relations for the National Association of Tax Professionals, told the Detroit Free Press. The IRS is still required to continue to collect any taxes due, the paper noted.
Some 20 million people filed for a six-month extension back in April, according to the IRS, and the agency expects that number to remain about the same, at 19.8 million people, next tax year, CNBC reported.
Should I file electronically or by mail?
If you’re anticipating a tax refund, you may want to file your return electronically, instead of by mail, to get your money back sooner, according to NerdWallet.
What happens if I miss the October 15 tax extension deadline?
Despite all that, if you are still thinking of dragging your feet, one thing to note is that it will cost you.
If you miss this deadline, the IRS will consider your return to be late, and you will be subject to these penalties, NerdWallet confirmed.