October 15 income tax return filing deadline still on despite US govt shutdown? All you need to know

All taxpayers who had requested an extension for filing their income tax returns from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are required to submit their returns by October 15, Wednesday, despite the ongoing US government shutdown.

With the income tax filing deadline knocking at the door – the IRS clarified that taxpayers must ‘continue to file’, deposit and pay federal income taxes as they 'usually would.' “The lapse in appropriations does not change federal income tax responsibilities,” a spokesperson of the federal agency told CBS News.

The IRS also reminded federal taxpayers about the October 15 deadline on Friday – via a post on its X (formerly Twitter) handle.

What is the October 15 deadline?

Those taxpayers who have received an extension from the IRS, the deadline to file income tax returns is Wednesday, October 15.

Taxpayers who requested more time to file their 2024 tax returns earlier this year were granted an extension by the IRS, allowing them to submit their returns by October 15, instead of the April 15 deadline.

Will there be an extension past Oct 15?

Although the US government is closed, taxpayers will not get an extension past the October 15 deadline, as per the IRS, reported CBS News.

This year, however, the federal agency granted some state residents time beyond the October 15 deadline to file their federal returns due to natural disasters in their regions.

Residents of both Arkansas and Tennessee qualify for an extension because of April storms, flooding and tornadoes. The IRS granted the residents extension till November 3 to file their federal returns, as per a release dated April 14, 2025.

Kentucky residents and people living in some West Virginia counties also have until November 3 due to February storms that caused severe damage in those areas.

What if you miss the deadline?

If you fail to file your income tax returns within the October 15 deadline, penalties will apply. The IRS will charge 5% of the amount due for each month or part of the month that it is late, up to a maximum of 25%.

However, the penalty might be waived “if you have a reasonable explanation for filing late,” states the IRS. In such cases, the federal agency mandates taxpayers to attach an explanation for the late filing with their tax return.