Government shutdown wont affect your 2026 tax return

Things are business as usual at the IRS. Home > Life Government shutdown won't affect your 2026 tax return The government impasse only directly affects one federal agency. By Rebecca Ruiz Rebecca Ruiz Senior Reporter Rebecca Ruiz is a Senior Reporter at Mashable. She frequently covers mental health, digital culture, and technology. Her areas of expertise include suicide prevention, screen use and mental health, parenting, youth well-being, and meditation and mindfulness. Rebecca's experience prior to Mashable includes working as a staff writer, reporter, and editor at NBC News Digital and as a staff writer at Forbes. Rebecca has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and a masters degree from U.C. Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism. Read Full Bio on February 19, 2026 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Flipboard The 2026 limited government shutdown shouldn't affect the IRS. Credit: Muhammad Aqib / Moment via Getty Images The U.S. government may be partially shut down, but that will not affect your 2026 tax filing, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Earlier this month, the government agency shared on its website that operations will continue per usual. That's because the funding lapse narrowly applies to the Department of Homeland Security and agencies that operate under it. "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," the IRS stated. "Taxpayers also should continue to meet any federal tax filing or payment obligations as normal." You May Also Like What is the government shutdown about? The shutdown, which began Saturday, Feb. 14, revolves around negotiations between congressional Democrats and the White House over DHS funding. Democrats are seeking reforms to immigration enforcement policies, in the wake of the shooting deaths of American citizens Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration authorities. They are declining to approve DHS funding without such reforms. Their proposals include prohibiting immigration enforcement officers from wearing masks, requiring verification that a person isn't a U.S. citizen before detaining them, and protecting sensitive locations, such as schools, churches, and medical facilities. Mashable Trend Report Decode what’s viral, what’s next, and what it all means. Sign up for Mashable’s weekly Trend Report newsletter. Loading... Sign Me Up Use this instead By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up! What should I know about filing my 2026 taxes? The IRS encourages taxpayers to consult its website featuring online tools and resources. The site offers instructions on how to file online and when to expect a refund (usually less than 21 days when filing electronically). The Trump administration canceled the pilot program Direct File, which allowed eligible taxpayers to submit their return directly to the IRS for free. However, the IRS' Free File program is still available to eligible taxpayers who can take advantage of free tax preparation software to complete their return. Taxpayers can also access free online fillable forms. Related Stories Do your taxes early and start 2026 stress-free Trump’s 'no tax on tips' law applies to content creators This AI-powered app lets you see exactly where your money is going Why you think OnlyFans is easy money (when it definitely isn't) Lastly, taxpayers should strongly consider receiving any refunds via electronic deposit. An executive order signed by President Trump in 2025 directed federal agencies, including the IRS, to make payments electronically rather than issue paper checks. While the IRS will still issue checks to taxpayers who cannot provide banking information, refunds could take longer in those instances. The IRS will first request their electronic deposit information or an explanation for why they can't provide it. If the taxpayer doesn't respond to the IRS' letter, and their return has no outstanding issues, a check will be issued after six weeks. Topics Social Good Money Rebecca Ruiz Senior Reporter Rebecca Ruiz is a Senior Reporter at Mashable. She frequently covers mental health, digital culture, and technology. Her areas of expertise include suicide prevention, screen use and mental health, parenting, youth well-being, and meditation and mindfulness. Rebecca's experience prior to Mashable includes working as a staff writer, reporter, and editor at NBC News Digital and as a staff writer at Forbes. Rebecca has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and a masters degree from U.C. Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism.