Filing 2018 taxes

[Alabamak1 688]

Hi:

 

Since there is a partial shutdown of the government....are we going to be able to file for 2018 tax year already? I know it is not necessary, but I would like to file early so I can have another evidence for our AOS interview in February. My wife came in 2018, so we can file jointly. 

 

Thanks

[payxibka 10,045]

3 minutes ago, Alabamak1 said:

Hi:

 

Since there is a partial shutdown of the government....are we going to be able to file for 2018 tax year already? I know it is not necessary, but I would like to file early so I can have another evidence for our AOS interview in February. My wife came in 2018, so we can file jointly. 

 

Thanks

They barely announced the final version of the 1040 before the shutdown.  They did not announce when they would start receiving returns for 2018 before the shutdown (usually mid to late January).  As of right now, you cannot file even if you wanted to and unless something miraculously happens, it won't be forthcoming for a while.

[gregcrs2 1,778]

Plus W2's do not need to be issued by law until Jan. 31st.  

[Alabamak1 688]

thanks, oh well...that is out the door then. I have other evidence anyways. 

[payxibka 10,045]

1 minute ago, gregcrs2 said:

Plus W2's do not need to be issued by law until Jan. 31st.  

Jan 31 has nothing to do with when you can file as many places get them out well in advance of the deadline.  If a taxpayer has received all of the needed tax documents in order to file a complete and accurate return, they can file at any time assuming the IRS is accepting returns

[Alabamak1 688]

2 minutes ago, gregcrs2 said:

Plus W2's do not need to be issued by law until Jan. 31st.  

My corporate employer....already has W-2's out electronically. They announced few days ago. 

[gregcrs2 1,778]

7 minutes ago, payxibka said:

Jan 31 has nothing to do with when you can file as many places get them out well in advance of the deadline.  If a taxpayer has received all of the needed tax documents in order to file a complete and accurate return, they can file at any time assuming the IRS is accepting returns

And many places don't.  My entire working life, I have never gotten a W2 before that last few days of January and sometime even in early Feb..  The point I was trying to make is that you can't file taxes until your employer has provided the W2.

[payxibka 10,045]

3 minutes ago, gregcrs2 said:

And many places don't.  My entire working life, I have never gotten a W2 before that last few days of January and sometime even in early Feb..  The point I was trying to make is that you can't file taxes until your employer has provided the W2.

Not true....  In many situations your final check stub has all the required information in order to file your return and many people do just that

[Sellamalola 222]

26 minutes ago, Alabamak1 said:

Hi:

 

Since there is a partial shutdown of the government....are we going to be able to file for 2018 tax year already? I know it is not necessary, but I would like to file early so I can have another evidence for our AOS interview in February. My wife came in 2018, so we can file jointly. 

 

Thanks

I was reading about that a few days ago and supposedly they will have that they will have volunteering employees for that, which i can definitely believe because IRS 🤑, so let’s see what happens. 

[gregcrs2 1,778]

8 minutes ago, payxibka said:

Not true....  In many situations your final check stub has all the required information in order to file your return and many people do just that

Try doing a search on "Form W-2 Use final pay stub as substitute" as to why that is not recommended.  

 

[payxibka 10,045]

Just now, gregcrs2 said:

Try doing a search on "Form W-2 Use final pay stub as substitute" as to why that is not recommended.  

 

I have been a CPA for more than 30 years.  I know what people do despite any recommendations or lack there of.  A person with simple earnings without any 401k, non taxable medical premiums, etc...  see no differences between the final stub and the W2 and they do it all the time!

[carmel34 3,625]

Even with the IRS shutdown, you can fill out your return, paper version, and send it in by mail, keep a copy and use that.  The IRS mailbox might fill up, but you can send it in as many do in early January if they have a W2 or pay stubs for the previous year.  Not sure about electronic filing and the IRS shutdown, but I don't see why you couldn't file.  They're just not going to process any refunds until after they're back to work, and when that happens, there might be a delay because of the backlog of work.

[Ksenia_O 696]

This is from the e-mail we received last week from NSTP.

HOW THE FEDERAL SHUT DOWN EFFECTS THE IRS:

In the event of a prolonged federal government shutdown, the IRS has released its contingency plan for Fiscal Year 2019. During a shutdown, agencies are allowed to perform activities that are supported by funding that does not expire at the end of the fiscal year, as well as other activities that are either expressly permitted under the law or are deemed necessary. Sometimes those activities cross over. For example, Social Security payments are funded outside of an annual appropriation, so those employees will continue to work, as well as those IRS employees who support them (even though IRS funding is not outside of annual appropriation).
 

Here's a partial list of functions that directly impact taxpayers and would typically be put on hold if the government shuts down:

• No tax refunds issued
• No processing of non-disaster relief transcripts
• No processing of forms 1040X, amended returns
• No non-automated collections
• No audit or examinations (some exceptions apply)
• No whistleblower office activity

Here's a partial list of functions that directly impact taxpayers which will typically continue if the government shuts down:

• Processing of returns with payments
• E-filing
• Mailing tax forms
• Appeals (statutory deadlines will not be changed)
• Call centers (only during filing season)
• Civil and criminal tax cases
• Certain communications to taxpayers
• Active criminal investigations
• IRS.gov

To facilitate those activities, the IRS anticipates that 35,076 employees, or 43.5% of the total employee population, would be retained during a shutdown.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 7, 2019 by Ksenia_O

[Ksenia_O 696]

On 1/7/2019 at 9:59 AM, Ksenia_O said:

This is from the e-mail we received last week from NSTP.

HOW THE FEDERAL SHUT DOWN EFFECTS THE IRS:

In the event of a prolonged federal government shutdown, the IRS has released its contingency plan for Fiscal Year 2019. During a shutdown, agencies are allowed to perform activities that are supported by funding that does not expire at the end of the fiscal year, as well as other activities that are either expressly permitted under the law or are deemed necessary. Sometimes those activities cross over. For example, Social Security payments are funded outside of an annual appropriation, so those employees will continue to work, as well as those IRS employees who support them (even though IRS funding is not outside of annual appropriation).
 

Here's a partial list of functions that directly impact taxpayers and would typically be put on hold if the government shuts down:

• No tax refunds issued
• No processing of non-disaster relief transcripts
• No processing of forms 1040X, amended returns
• No non-automated collections
• No audit or examinations (some exceptions apply)
• No whistleblower office activity

Here's a partial list of functions that directly impact taxpayers which will typically continue if the government shuts down:

• Processing of returns with payments
• E-filing
• Mailing tax forms
• Appeals (statutory deadlines will not be changed)
• Call centers (only during filing season)
• Civil and criminal tax cases
• Certain communications to taxpayers
• Active criminal investigations
• IRS.gov

To facilitate those activities, the IRS anticipates that 35,076 employees, or 43.5% of the total employee population, would be retained during a shutdown.

 

 

 

 

"Breaking" news from yesterday - a refund will be issued by IRS... don't see how though.. Anyways -  the rest stays the same. 

[junkmart 320]

On 1/6/2019 at 10:01 AM, Alabamak1 said:

Hi:

 

Since there is a partial shutdown of the government....are we going to be able to file for 2018 tax year already? I know it is not necessary, but I would like to file early so I can have another evidence for our AOS interview in February. My wife came in 2018, so we can file jointly. 

 

Thanks

IRS will begin processing 2018 returns on January 28, 2019.

 

Source: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-confirms-tax-filing-season-to-begin-january-28