Do you still need to pay taxes during a government shutdown?

"If you are one of the millions of Americans who filed for an extension on your federal tax return back in April, you might be wondering if you still need to pay your taxes by October 15 because the government is currently shut down. The simple answer is yes-for most filers. (Two exceptions, though, are if you were affected by a federally declared disaster, or if you were living out of the country on the due date.)"

""Due to the government shutdown the American people lost access to many vital services provided by the IRS when the agency furloughed thousands of employees," the National Treasury Employees Union said. "Expect increased wait times, backlogs and delays implementing tax law changes as the shutdown continues. Taxpayers around the country will now have a much harder time getting the assistance they need.""

""There is no furlough in the filing deadline," Tom O'Saben, director of tax content and government relations for the National Association of Tax Professionals, told The Detroit Free Press. The IRS is still required to continue to collect any taxes due, the paper noted.Some 20 million people filed for a six-month extension back in April, according to the IRS, and the agency expects that number to remain about the same, with 19.8 million people next tax year, CNBC reported."

Millions of Americans filed six-month federal tax extensions in April; roughly 20 million requested extensions and the IRS expects about 19.8 million next tax year. The government shutdown has furloughed 34,400 of about 74,300 IRS employees, which is more than half the workforce. The IRS remains required to collect taxes and most filers must meet the October 15 extension deadline. Taxpayers affected by a federally declared disaster and those living abroad on the due date are exceptions. Expect increased wait times, backlogs, and delays in IRS assistance; filing electronically can speed refunds.

Read at Fast Company