IRS e-File System Breaks Down Hours Before Deadline

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rgMekanic

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The Washington Post is reporting that the Internal Revenue Service's online system for submitting tax returns had widespread failures today. For several hours this morning the IRS' online payment page was also down, describing a "Planned Outage: April 17, 2018 - December 31, 9999."

Acting Commissioner for the IRS, David J. Kautter told lawmakers at a hearing
"On my way over here this morning, I was told a number of systems are down at the moment. We are working to resolve the issue and taxpayers should continue to file as they normally would."

The IRS has stated that it will not punish people if their returns arrive late. An IRS spokeswoman would not comment on when the problem would be resolved, but with an estimated 5 million people filing their tax returns today, I would assume that there is going to be several people working on it. Thanks to cageymaru for the story.

"If we can’t solve it today, we’ll figure out a solution," Kautter said. "Taxpayers would not be penalized because of a technical problem the IRS is having."
 
This is why I use paper. The Post Office drop box never has an outage.

But I had to pay online this year because we ended up owing more than I had cash on hand. Credit FTW :D

Of course I did those payments on Sunday, because I know how everyone loves the last-minute scramble. Fuck dealing with overloaded web pages.
 
sfsuphysics said:
Good for you, I didn't get my W2 nor any 1099 forms until Feb/March.
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Uh ain't your employees and what not required to send your W-2 by the end of January? Still why do so many people wait to the last minute to file? I say I am middle class and have never owed money. I normally get back at least $2k every year. Most people especially the poor almost never owe money unless then don't know wtf they doing when filling them out.
 
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trparky said:
I got mine done in March as well. I had a refund coming and I wanted that money!!!
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Heh,

I always put mine off as long as I can.

I never get a refund, always have to pay at least several hundred bucks, if nit a couple of thousand.

Don't know what the damned W4's you fill out for witholding purposes when you start a new job, if they can't get this shit right...
 
vegeta535 said:
Uh ain't your employees and what not required to send your W-2 by the end of January? Still why do so many people wait to the last minute to file? I say I am middle class and have never owed money. I normally get back at least $2k every year. Most people especially the poor almost never owe money unless then don't know wtf they doing when filling them out.
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W2s aren't the problem. It is the 1099s from investment companies. Got V1 in Feb. Got V2 in March. Waited until April in case V3 showed up. Several years ago, I got a V4 sometime in August. Couldn't find any difference between V3 from late March and the August V4. Didn't refile and never heard from the IRS. Apparently, as long as they get V1 out in February, there isn't a penalty for investment companies sending out multiple correction versions, even well after the filing deadline.
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
I never get a refund, always have to pay at least several hundred bucks, if nit a couple of thousand.
Don't know what the damned W4's you fill out for witholding purposes when you start a new job, if they can't get this shit right...
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Tax Tip: Claim zero if you want money back (or the best shot at it) that is max withholding.
 
Mega6 said:
Tax Tip: Claim zero if you want money back (or the best shot at it) that is max withholding.
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Investment Tip: Don't give the IRS an interest free loan by claiming zero dependents.
You want to claim the correct number so you either owe a small amount or get a small amount back. A $2,400 refund is like giving the IRS $200 extra every month and letting them use it interest free. You would be much better off putting that $200 in your retirement fund each month.
 
nutzo said:
Investment Tip: Don't give the IRS an interest free loan by claiming zero dependents.
You want to claim the correct number so you either owe a small amount or get a small amount back. A $2,400 refund is like giving the IRS $200 extra every month and letting them use it interest free. You would be much better off putting that $200 in your retirement fund each month.
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True, but if ur bitchin you cant pay it - best to have someone give it back.
 
Mega6 said:
True, but if ur bitchin you cant pay it - best to have someone give it back.
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Drives me crazy when people give the government money they dont deserve, but then bitch about how they cant pay if they dont claim low... Its just another additional symptom of the failure we have allowed to seep into our culture. Dont save, Spend it ALL! Safety nets and the Government will save you! But then when the ponzi scheme crashes its always "someone" elses fault. Damn shame.
 
macksomerville said:
Drives me crazy when people give the government money they dont deserve, but then bitch about how they cant pay if they dont claim low... Its just another additional symptom of the failure we have allowed to seep into our culture. Dont save, Spend it ALL! Safety nets and the Government will save you! But then when the ponzi scheme crashes its always "someone" elses fault. Damn shame.
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If the biggest problem in your life is someone else's bitching, you're doing pretty well. Congrats.
 
I'm pretty sure the IRS systems have had trouble every year. Maybe it's finally time for them to upgrade from Windows XP...
 
I always file a paper return by mail. Due to identity theft in the past (someone kept trying to file fraudulent returns using my SSN), e-file usually just rejects mine, even if I put in the PIN the IRS gives me. I also figure it's better to leave a paper trail with something like this. I never get any kind of large return anyway. I usually roughly break even, and end up either owing a little bit or with just a small return.
 
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This is why you don't wait until the last minute. You should file as soon as you have all the paper work you need.
 
And, if you wait, the scammers that have all your data can file for a refund before you do.
 
Mega6 said:
True, but if ur bitchin you cant pay it - best to have someone give it back.
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Wait a minute. Who said anything about the inability to pay? I can and have paid my taxes every year I've had them due.

I just procrastinate because it's no fun seeing the money leave your account and go to the IRS.
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
I always put mine off as long as I can.

I never get a refund, always have to pay at least several hundred bucks, if nit a couple of thousand.
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And that is why you procrastinate, because there is no incentive for you to file early other than getting it over with. If you were going to get money back, especially in the thousands, you'd likely file as soon as you can. Also depends on how much you need it as the greater the need the greater the urgency.
 
Zarathustra[H] said:
Wait a minute. Who said anything about the inability to pay? I can and have paid my taxes every year I've had them due.

I just procrastinate because it's no fun seeing the money leave your account and go to the IRS.
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You can file early, you don't necessarily have to pay until later.
 
Mega6 said:
Tax Tip: Claim zero if you want money back (or the best shot at it) that is max withholding.
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Come on really... you realize you're just getting the same money back that you are giving them ahead of time right?
 
vegeta535 said:
Uh ain't your employees and what not required to send your W-2 by the end of January? Still why do so many people wait to the last minute to file? I say I am middle class and have never owed money. I normally get back at least $2k every year. Most people especially the poor almost never owe money unless then don't know wtf they doing when filling them out.
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The people that don't know what the fuck they are doing, are the ones who wait patiently for a year to get their interest free loan paid back by the government. If you are getting a return, you are doing it wrong. You should reduce the taxes you pay during the fiscal year and invest that money. At the end of the year, you should owe the maximum amount possible without getting penalized for underpayment. So you essentially 'borrow' money from the government for free and invested it to earn more money.

And as a final fuck you, you wait until the very last day possible to write them that check. Mine went out yesterday.
 
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ssnyder28 said:
Come on really... you realize you're just getting the same money back that you are giving them ahead of time right?
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yes, but if you can't cut the check at the end of the year it's best to have it withheld.
 
Mega6 said:
yes, but if you can't cut the check at the end of the year it's best to have it withheld.
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If you claim correctly you will either get a refund of or owe less than a couple hundred bucks. I ended up owing $2 this year and had extra money to spend on what i i wanted throughout the year.
 
ssnyder28 said:
If you claim correctly you will either get a refund of or owe less than a couple hundred bucks. I ended up owing $2 this year and had extra money to spend on what i i wanted throughout the year.
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The allowances calculation is only an estimate by the IRS. The situation here is they have to always pay. so either they are not choosing the right allowances or the allowances dont estimate the tax correctly and UNDERCHARGE on the payroll tax. now, to attempt to remedy the situation artificially - I would suggest claim zero. This withholds the maximum amount.
 
Of course its an estimate.

Would you like to pay me $100 extra out of every paycheck you get in 2018? I can send you a refund of whatever you payed me around March of next year.
 
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