LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The IRS processed more than 160 million individual income tax returns in 2025 and is expecting a similar amount this year. However, according to the National Treasury Employees Union, the IRS is one of the agencies that could be impacted during the government shutdown.
I reached out to the IRS to see exactly how services would be impacted and whether returns would be processed as normal. They told me that they will continue operations until further notice using federal funding that will continue to be provided through the remainder of the 2026 fiscal year.
Expect IRS operations to continue as normal with IRS offices maintaining regular hours, on-line self-service help tools available and other services continuing as usual. Taxpayers also should continue to meet any federal tax filing or payment obligations as normal.
That means that taxpayers will need to continue to file taxes as normal before the April 15th deadline. Experts say, when you do, do so carefully to ensure you make the most of your refund.
VIDEO: Anyssa Bohanan talks to Mark Stepper from Jackson-Hewitt about tips on filing your taxes
"The biggest mistake that I see are when people are in a hurry or they wait til the last minute or they do it on the phone or in the car on the way to work, they leave off a credit and they never get that money," said Mark Stepper from Jackson-Hewitt.
Stepper also says you should double-check your tax forms for errors. The IRS says most refunds are issued within 21 days, but some returns could require additional review and could take longer.
The IRS also says Presidents' Day week is the peak time for phone traffic into the agency. For faster help, they encourage you to visit their website to use their online tools here.
