The Internal Revenue Service has announced that they will begin accepting paper and e-filed tax returns on Tuesday, January 28, 2019. The deadline for filing returns or extensions for the 2018 tax year is Monday, April 15, 2019.

The IRS has announced that they have been granted authority to issue refunds during the shutdown, in a reversal of a 2011 directive.

They will be recalling a significant portion of their currently furloughed employees. Details on their contingency plan for the filing season have not yet been released. Returns and refunds will begin to process on schedule, but it’s currently unknown whether to expect delays due to backlogs or a shortage of staff.

Barring shutdown related delays, refunds for e-filed returns are usually direct deposited 10-14 days after processing. By law, the IRS cannot issue refunds for returns claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) before mid-February. These returns will be accepted and processed starting January 29th, but any refunds due on those returns will be held until mid-February. EITC and ACTC returns will not have a refund date on the IRS’s Where’s My Refund? ‎tool until late February.

Watch our Facebook page for updates as we approach the start of the 2018 tax season.