As most of you know, many government functions came to a halt yesterday, as the House continued to stonewall progress of a government spending bill. In addition to national parks closing, The Board of Veterans Appeals no longer issuing rulings, most routine food inspections by the Food and Drug Administration being suspended, and about half the Defense Department’s civilian employees being furloughed, 85,000 IRS employees have also been furloughed, meaning that the IRS is maintaining only core functions.
The AICPA has created a Questions and Answers page to help CPAs and business owners understand what is affected.
None of the following will take place during the shutdown, so plan accordingly. (Note that filing deadlines haven’t changed, however.)
- Refunds
- Examinations
- Operation of taxpayer services and centers
- Operation of the Practitioner Priority Service
- Processing of paper returns that do not require remittance
- Taxpayer and practitioner hotlines are closed
We’ll continue to monitor the situation for changes and keep you updated on how the shutdown will affect your business.