Uncle Sam Wants Your Tax Return By This Date, So Track Down Those W-2s

If you're feeling the pressures of tax time, I don't blame you. In addition to everything else going on in the world, from bombshells reports and hectic work schedules, there's also the task of tracking down those W-2s, finding a tax center to file your return, and then perhaps having to pay the government back if you aren't eligible for a return. If you and I are anything alike, you've probably already made your mind up that you won't be filing any time close to when the Internal Revenue Service starts accepting returns on Jan. 28. So, what's the deadline to file your taxes in 2019? You've got a while to kick back before they're due, so don't start freaking out.

I don't blame you if you were a little confused over the 2019 deadline, seeing as last year it was delayed by a few days thanks to a Washington, D.C. holiday (not to mention the weekend). But this year it's simple: Uncle Sam wants your taxes by Monday, April 15, and not a day later, according to TIME's Money. So you've got some time to get those documents together and get everything situated.

If you've been holding out because of the historic government shutdown, which has dragged out for nearly a full month and seemingly won't be over by the time the IRS starts to accept returns, there are some things you need to know. While Trump administration officials initially said returns wouldn't be given out as long as the shutdown was in effect, Russell Vought, the acting director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, said on Jan. 7 that the White House gave the IRS the OK to accept tax returns and issue tax refunds because the Trump administration has "been trying to make this as painless as possible." The IRS confirmed later that day that it would be handing out returns starting on Jan. 28.

But (because there's always a but) it's unclear how long IRS employees are willing to work without pay, which could affect returns, per Vox. Although the IRS has called back its employees, there are concerns that they may go on strike or stop showing up to work as the shutdown, precipitated by a fight between President Trump and Congress over border security, heads into its fifth week.

As of writing, there's no sign that the shutdown will be ending soon. President Trump wants some $5 billion for a wall at the United States southern border, which Democrats have refused him, instead offering $1.3 billion for border fencing and barriers, and he's threatened to keep the government shut down for as long as it takes to get his requested funds, even for "years." Elite Daily reached out to the White House for further comment on his claims at the time, but did not hear back by the time of publication. Some 800,000 federal workers have reportedly been affected by the shutdown, including airport staffers (although TSA has denied that call outs are happening at a significant rate) and farmers and ranchers, who aren't able to get loans and other help with their operations. Yikes.

Good thing you've got nearly three months to get those returns in, huh? Let's all cross our fingers and hope that this drama is over by April.