IRS Announces Late Start to Tax Season

The effects of the recent government shutdown are beginning to appear in various federal offices, including the Internal Revenue Service.

The IRS announced last week that the 2014 tax season, which was scheduled to begin on January 21, will be delayed by at least a week. The service will not be accepting or processing individual returns until at least January 28—though that date could be pushed back as far as February 4.

The delay may affect you as a taxpayer in two main ways—you won’t be able to file your return until possibly the beginning of February, and any communication you tried to make with the IRS during or immediately prior to the shutdown will receive a delayed response.

Nearly 90% of the IRS was closed during the shutdown, creating a 16-day delay that resulted in missed appointments, delayed implementation of installment plans, and a significant backlog of work that will be completed during the final weeks in January. Despite the late start, don’t forget that the due date for filing taxes is still April 15, 2014.

An official start date for tax season will be announced sometime in December.