The IRS has announced that they will be ready to start accepting tax returns electronically on January 20, 2015 and will begin processing paper filed tax returns at the same time. This is a relief to taxpayers since the IRS had previously stated that the filing season might be delayed due to the late passage of the tax extender provisions by Congress.
While this is great news, please be aware that due to the budget cuts that the IRS has experienced over the past few years, and will experience more again in 2015, that there will be fewer IRS employees available to answer calls, process tax returns, and resolve issues related to IRS notices. So, as they say, patience is a virtue.
The IRS has been through quite a bit as of late—the shrinking budget is only one challenge for them. There was also the tax preparer registration program which has been struck down by the courts. The IRS has now launched what it calls the Annual Filing Season Program, which is totally voluntary. And then there was the scandal centering around the extra scrutiny that was done on conservative political groups. It makes one wonder what is next in line for them.