Even with the government shutdown, tax season will go on. The IRS updated its FY2019 Lapsed Appropriations Contingency Plan recalling 57.6 percent of its employees back to work. These excepted employee roles are necessary to process tax refunds.
Prior to this update, only 12.5 percent of excepted/exempt employees were working during the shutdown.
The IRS recommends that tax preparers encourage clients to get their tax information in early to keep the workflow moving. Manage client expectations by keeping open communication and let them know how the shutdown could affect them.