IRS 2018 Efile deadline is November 17 2019. Does Turbotax allow Refund filers to efile until the IRS deadline?

[xmasbaby0]

No.  TurboTax e-filing has shut down for 2018 returns.  If you tried to e-file on October 15, and the return was rejected  you can fix it and  re-file it up to October 20, 2019.  But a return that was not e-filed timely by the 10-15 deadline cannot be e-filed now.  It has to be printed signed and mailed.  A return that still cannot be e-filed here as of 10-20-19 will also have to be printed, signed and mailed.

[AtlantaRTA]

That makes no sense the October 15 deadline for the IRS has nothing to do with Refunds. Refunds do not need an extension and the October 15th deadline for the IRS only applies to extensions. There is a month left to efile with the IRS.

[VolvoGirl]

Sorry but your post makes no sense.  You actually have 3 years to file for a Refund.  Where on the IRS website do you see Nov 17?  Last year they did have a later date than Oct 15 for people in a disaster zone.

and you are filing a Return not a Refund.  

[AtlantaRTA]

The IRS according to their websites accepts electronic returns, (efile), Until November and has for some time. The exact date as stated by the IRS below this year is November 17 2019. So why is Turbotax stopping efile one month before the IRS deadline? How does my question not make sense? Efile is open to November 17 2019 for the 2018 tax year. Turbotax says they can't efile one month earlier than the IRS dealing, now that makes no sense.

https://www.irs.gov/faqs/electronic-filing-e-file/due-dates-extension-dates-for-e-file/due-dates-ext...

Question

I don't owe taxes. Can I file electronically after April 15?

Answer

Yes, electronically filed tax returns are accepted until November. The specific cutoff date in November is announced in October in the QuickAlerts Library. However, keep in mind the following:

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USIRS/bulletins/211c785

Shutdown Deadlines on Saturday, November 17, 2018

Transmitters:
Transmitting Submissions (State & Federal) 10:00 p.m.

[VolvoGirl]

That must be for professional tax preparers and not do it yourself self prepared returns.  You would have to find a local CPA or walk in tax company.  Call HR Block and see if they let you file later.

[mesquitebean]

TurboTax never goes by the IRS efile system deadline, I assume because they have to get their products ready for tax year 2019.   They always impose their own deadline.  Last year they did extended efiling capability for several days due to disaster zones, but it also allowed others to keep efiling as well, if I recall correctly.  

We're trying to get TurboTax to confirm if the switch has already been thrown for some users, and will soon be thrown for all users.   I suspect it has been cutoff for anyone who did not initially file prior to October 15, based on a scenario I can try in my desktop software.

What is your situation?   Have you already finished your return started before October 15 deadline, and did you try to efile today?  If so, what happened, and what did it tell you?   Did you get an error message that you could not efile?

And are using Online TurboTax or the desktop software (CD/download)?   My desktop software on a test return says efiling is closed, but it lets me to continue past that and choose "efile" on the next screen.  So I don't know what would happen if I continued to the end and whether it would let me successfully efile or not..

[mesquitebean]

@ AtlantaRTA 

Addendum:

I revised part of my answer above.  I just ran a test scenario, and the desktop software told me efiling was closed per their official deadline of October 15.    But, surprisingly,  it did let me ignore that and continue on to choose "efile" on the next screen and continue on to subsequent screens, including electronic signing.  So I don't know what would happen if I really tried to continue one more screen to actually transmit and efile it.   So that's confusing.

Again, we've asked TurboTax for info tomorrow for a definite statement verifying all the hard cutoff dates for efiling.

[Carl]

The E-filing deadline for a self-prepared personal 1040 tax return is Oct 15, 2019. If you e-file on Oct 15th and it is rejected by the IRS, then you have until Oct 20th to fix the rejection error and resubmit.  If not accepted by the IRS by Oct 20th, then you have no choice but to print, sign and mail the return to the IRS. The Oct 15th deadline for an initial e-fila submission and Oct 20th deadline for s re-submission are "hard" deadlines that will not be extended for any reason and with no exceptions.

Tax professionals using professional tax preparation software for their clients have a hard deadline of Nov 17th that will not be extended for any reason and with no exceptions.

Darn! I lost the website I copied the above from and now can't find it again. I wanted to reference it. I'm sure one of the tax pros out there can do so for me.

[AtlantaRTA]

I have Turbo tax software on my PC and will receive a refund, no deadline for my filing this year of course from the IRS. I wanted to be sure when I transmit my return it will get forwarded to the IRS and I may just do as the previous person mentioned, no harm in submitting I will not get a confirmation of the IRS accepting the return. I have seen the Turbo tax message for years showing their cutoff date.

My surprise was that the IRS does keep efile open until November, last year had a similar cutoff date. No I have not seen an IRS site stating that the efile deadline only applied to professional tax preparers, if it does then the Turbotax date makes sense.

I went to several websites, although I need to look into them, that process efile that have not mentioned a cutoff date of October 15th. If you have an IRS site or other info stating the cutoff I am interested because I will efile with Turbotax, the other online sites that do not show a cutoff of October 15th, or paid preparer which I am fine using to avaoid the 6-8 weeks it takes to receive a refund. I experienced 10 weeks personally when sending paper returns.

[xmasbaby0]

@AtlantaRTA You do not seem to understand.  Even though you have the desktop software--it is TurboTax software.  The deadline for e-filing using TT is over.  You will have to print, sign and mail your return.  

When you mail a tax return, you need to attach any documents showing tax withheld, such as your W-2’s or any 1099’s.  Use a mailing service that will track it, such as UPS or certified mail so you will know the IRS/state received the return.

[AtlantaRTA]

I completely understand I used Turbotax since it came out. The question is why and is it real deadline as posted it let the person transmit, efile is not closed from the IRS. I'm an engineer and very familiar with PCs servers and technology.

Is it a Turbotax deadline and can you actually transmit it anyway?

Is it an IRS deadline for as mentioned self prepared returns?

Why are several other websites showing no such cutoff to efile?

Its not that I don't get the Turbotax date that Ive seen for years its why and where else can one efile up to the November 17th deadline.

[AtlantaRTA]

This may be the place the October date is from, below is the IRS free file date. So the question still remains who can transmit the return by efile since it stays open? This isn't a question about the Turbotax software date that shows up and has at the filing screen. I'm simply saying is there a reason an individual can not efile. It may just be that Turbotax and the other software providers use this free portal from the IRS. The IRS may and it appears does somehow take efile up to November 17th. Who and under what circumstance can one efile with the IRS? It has been proposed that only professional preparers have access. That may very well be the answer here. It seems in an electronic age if the servers are open for efile at the IRS are they only open to certain companies? Can one prepare their taxes using their software and go to say company X and they will transmit it for you?

Complete respect to all who have answered this. I think it's a reasonable question if the IRS accepts efile how and under what circumstance can one do that after October 15th.

IRS site below:

https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free

Can I still use Free File?

Yes, you can! If you filed for an extension or you still need to e-file your 2018 federal return, you can use Free File to prepare and e-file your return for free.

IRS Free File is still available through October 15 at midnight ET to prepare and file returns electronically.

[Critter]

Professional PAID tax preparers using professional tax programs have until 11/20/19 to efile any 2016/2017/2018 returns if they are eligible (not all are).     After that date the IRS  efiling system goes dark as they change over to the new tax year.   

This date is NOT for any of the DIY programs like Turbotax, Taxact, H&R Block and the rest.  

So if you started a return using the ONLINE version you must finish it by 10/20  and print a copy to mail  OR  at least save the .tax2018 file so you can continue using the DOWNLOADED version.  

[amituserid]

@mesquitebean 

Was TurboTax able to confirm that efiling will no longer work even though the Desktop product still allows you to select the "efile" option and continue to subsequent screens as of today?  I am not sure if anyone has actually tried this after October 15, but was curious if TurboTax had responded to your inquiry for a definite statement.