IRS REOPENS AFTER GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN: NOW WHAT?
Despite extensive changes to tax law plus the recent government shutdown, the IRS expects refunds to be paid on schedule with previous years.
The Internal Revenue Service opened the 2019 tax-filing season on Monday, January 28, as the agency started accepting and processing federal tax returns for the tax year 2018. Despite the major tax law changes made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), the IRS was able to open this year’s tax-filing season one day earlier than the 2018 tax-filing season.
More than 150 million individual tax returns for the 2018 tax year are expected to be filed, with the vast majority of those coming before the April tax deadline. Through mid-day Monday, the IRS had already received several million tax returns during the busy opening hours.
Following the government shutdown, the IRS is working to promptly resume normal operations.
“I am extremely proud of the entire IRS workforce. The dedicated IRS employees have worked tirelessly to successfully implement the biggest tax law changes in 30 years and launch tax season for the nation,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “Although we face various near- and longer-term challenges, our employees are committed to doing everything we can to help taxpayers and get refunds out quickly.”
IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig promises the agency is doing everything it can to have a smooth filing season. To minimize errors and speed refunds, Rettig encourages taxpayers to e-file with direct deposit. The IRS expects about 90 percent of returns to be filed electronically. Choosing e-file and direct deposit remains the fastest and safest way to file an accurate income tax return and receive a refund.
Most Refunds Sent In Less Than 21 Days; EITC/ACTC Refunds To Start Feb. 27
The IRS expects the first refunds to go out in the first week of February and many refunds to be paid by mid- to late February like previous years. The IRS expects to issue more than nine out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days. However, it’s possible a tax return may require additional review and take longer. Taxpayers can check “Where’s My Refund?” for updates on the status of their refunds. “Where’s My Refund?” has the most up to date information available about refunds. The tool is updated only once a day, so taxpayers don’t need to check more often.
However, by law, the IRS cannot issue refunds before Feb. 15 for tax returns that claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). This applies to the entire refund — even the portion not associated with the EITC and ACTC. While the IRS will process the EITC and ACTC returns when received, these refunds cannot be issued before Feb. 15. Similar to last year, the IRS expects the earliest EITC/ACTC related refunds to actually be available in taxpayer bank accounts or on debit cards starting on Feb. 27, 2019, if they chose direct deposit and there are no other issues with the tax return.
“Where’s My Refund?” on IRS.gov and the IRS2Go mobile app remain the best way to check the status of a refund. “Where’s My Refund?” will be updated with projected deposit dates for most early EITC and ACTC refund filers on Feb. 17, so those filers will not see a refund date on “Where’s My Refund?” or through their software packages until then. The IRS, tax preparers, and tax software will not have additional information on refund dates, so these filers should not contact or call about refunds before the end of February.
This law was changed to give the IRS more time to detect and prevent fraud. Even with the EITC and ACTC refunds and the additional security safeguards, the IRS still expects to issue more than nine out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days
April Deadline
The filing deadline to submit 2018 tax returns is Monday, April 15, 2019, for most taxpayers. Because of the Patriots’ Day holiday on April 15 in Maine and Massachusetts and the Emancipation Day holiday on April 16 in the District of Columbia, taxpayers who live in Maine or Massachusetts have until April 17 to file their returns.
Filing Assistance; Fraud Protection
No matter who prepares a federal tax return, by signing the return, the taxpayer becomes legally responsible for the accuracy of all information included. Taxpayers should have all their year-end statements in hand before filing. This includes Forms W-2 from employers and Forms 1099 from banks and other payers. Doing so will help avoid refund delays and the need to file an amended return.
The IRS continues to work with state tax agencies and the private-sector tax industry to address tax-related identity theft and refund fraud. As part of the Security Summit effort, stronger protections for taxpayers and the nation’s tax system are in effect for the 2019 tax filing season.
The new measures attack tax-related identity theft from multiple sides. Many changes will be invisible to taxpayers but will help the IRS, states, and the tax industry provide additional protections, and tighter security requirements will better protect tax software accounts and personal information.