I've always filed early. I have been using (blush) basic TurboTax as part of my Vanguard 401K/IRA account for the past 12 years, so they've already got the 2018 tax information electronically. I did notice there's some extra security questions to go through when filing this year.

Because of Drumpf's new tax policy and that we now get bonuses and profit sharing at my job, I had to change my withholdings last year to basically break even enough with the Feds to pay for TurboTax with just a touch left over.
That also meant I'm getting pretty much all my state taxes (well into 4 figures this year) paid last year back from California - which will pay for the electrician to come out and re-wire our circuit breaker box for future technology (thinking of putting in Solar eventually), a better load balance - and surge protection.
Yes, I should be filing quarterly, but having the large lump sum return means I don't end up eating into the saving set-aside to eventually do that work as we're dealing with the day to day and emergencies throughout the year. And I don't mind lending interest-free money to California. My family and I get some really nice necessary services at an extreme discount for that tax money.

Anyway, TurboTax gave us this cheery "Great job, you're at the front of the line for when the IRS opens!" message after we filed.

Haele

They should not work if they are not being paid!!!

We rely on our tax returns every single year to get caught up and out of debt.

So, do millions and millions of other Americans.

This is a big blow. And it's Trump's fault.

Who the hell is going to be there to go over returns cut refund checks?

To get your refund back that way. Make sure to put it back though

work on a pretend excuse of being classified critical/essential personnel) went out of vogue a long time ago.

When rump and his fellow crooks discovered that they made a big mistake in that the IRS employees weren't classified as essential, and thus, tax refund processing would be delayed, they quickly reclassified these employees as 'essential'.

Again, clear evidence of NOT knowing how government works.

All of them are crooks and should be investigated in FULL to ensure that they haven't done anything underhanded while in government service (supposed government service, when in reality, they're looking to see how they can scam every taxpayer dollar that they can get away with).

Don't fool yourself. A side effect of this will be that the ability to Audit returns will go wayyyyy down.

(not that they audit that many returns of people who make over 250,000. anyway)

for a number of companies. We're always concerned about audits, but not from the viewpoint of doing taxes wrong, but from the sheer hassle of doing so (the prep for the audits). This is a tedious and cumbersome process.

The number of audits has been going down for a long time (thank god, not from a 'cheating' viewpoint but from an accountant who has to prep for the audit viewpoint), and those w/ the skills in running audits and the like have been going from the IRS to outside accounting firms for quite some time, more pay.

The skill set remaining in the IRS is getting more limited and reduced on a daily basis, as well as the funding from Congress.

This has caused some concerns outside the IRS that abuses have occurred with the reduced number of audits and I'm sure that there has been (w/ rump and his ilk, more than likely). As to whether they'll be caught in time (there is a 3 year window, it was 10 years, was 7 years, and is now 3 years, if discrepancies are found, a whole slew of other criteria kick in then as to follow up by the IRS, I don't remember all of these).

I don't think that the window for doing audits is $250K, but other criteria is included as well.

What about all the 'volunteers' who want to work unpaid out of loyalty to Trump?

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142251881

Like a double barrel shot gun.