Tax day. Pause for a collective groan. But don’t worry, even if you think you’re having a hard time getting your tax filed by the deadline, know that the IRS isn’t doing much better. Today, their electronic filing system experienced a partial failure. Gotta love America.
As a result of the technical glitch, many Americans may not be able to get their taxes filed by the midnight deadline and by no fault of their own. IRS Acting Commissioner David Kautter told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Tuesday, “We are working to resolve the issue and taxpayers should continue to file their returns as they normally would.”
One official told The Washington Post that the IRS is going to try a “hard reboot” of the system. Funny, I do the same thing when my wifi goes out.
Despite the fact you can indeed request a six-month extension on the IRS website, some lawmakers are calling BS. As Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore) notes, “Americans should not be punished for being unable to file their tax returns or pay their tax bills today.” He also cited the GOP underfunding the IRS for aggravating an already shitty situation.
It remains to be seen whether there will be some sort of grace period for those who miss the deadline as a result of the IRS’s own digital problem.
