IRS Changes Start Date For Filing Taxes

The Internal Revenue Service has moved the date to start filing taxes.

The date has been moved from January 21st to January 31st. The IRS says the date was changed due to the 16 day government shutdown. The updating of IRS systems was delayed by the shutdown and the new date of January 31st will give them time to finish programming, testing and validating the system. The date change may effect some people who rely on an early refund to pay bills.

Tax preparers and the IRS are still urging people to begin preparing their tax returns, so that there will be no backlog on January 31st.

The April 15th deadline for filing taxes is set by statute and will remain in place.