IRS Website or TurboTax Down? What to Do When Your E-File Fails

If IRS.gov, the IRS app or TurboTax will not load in tax season, check for scheduled maintenance and a wider outage before you change anything in your return. An outage is not the same as a rejected e-file: a rejected return has not been filed and needs a fix. For tax year 2026, the federal deadline for most individual returns falls on Thursday, April 15, 2027.

When is the 2027 tax deadline?

The usual deadline for individual federal returns is April 15. The IRS says that if the 15th falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the due date moves to the next business day. April 15, 2027 is a Thursday, so no shift applies unless the IRS announces relief, for example for a declared disaster area.

As of November 9, 2026, the IRS had not announced the date the 2027 filing season opens. Its Free File page says IRS Free File has closed and to check back in January 2027.

If you cannot finish in time, the IRS allows an automatic 6-month extension of time to file when you submit Form 4868 by the original due date. That moves the filing date to October 15, 2027. The IRS also says an extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay, so pay what you owe by April 15 to avoid possible penalties. According to the Free File page, you can file the extension request with Free File’s guided software or Free File Fillable Forms.

Is it the IRS, TurboTax or my connection?

1. Check the clock. The IRS says Where’s My Refund is unavailable every Monday from 12 a.m. to 3 a.m. Eastern Time, and occasionally on Sundays from 1 a.m. to 7 a.m.
2. Check TurboTax separately. TurboTax is run by Intuit, not the IRS. See live TurboTax status. If TurboTax fails while IRS.gov works, the IRS is not the cause, and the reverse is also true.
3. Try another browser or device. A private window rules out a bad cache or extension. Try the app if the website fails, or the other way around.
4. Try another network. Switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data. If the site loads, see why a site works on mobile data but not Wi-Fi. The full routine is in is it down or just me.
5. Look for an official notice. The IRS posts statements in the newsroom on IRS.gov. Intuit posts help articles in the TurboTax support center.

What do common tax-season problems mean?

Situation	What it means	What to do
IRS.gov page times out or will not load	Heavy traffic, maintenance or a local problem	Wait and retry later; test another network
Where’s My Refund unavailable early on a Monday	Weekly scheduled maintenance	Try again after 3 a.m. Eastern Time
TurboTax will not load or sign in	A TurboTax-side issue or a local problem	Check status, wait, and do not start over in a new account
E-file rejected	The return was not filed; something in it needs a fix	Read the reject code, correct it and resubmit
E-file rejected at the deadline	You still have a short window to fix it	Resubmit electronically within 5 days, or mail a paper return within 10 days
Online tax payment fails	A busy payment system or a problem with your bank	Check your bank account before you pay again; do not pay twice

What should I do if my e-file is rejected?

The Taxpayer Advocate Service, an independent organization within the IRS, says you have not filed if the IRS rejects your return. Correct the error and resubmit as soon as possible. The rejection notice includes a code that explains what the IRS found.

In TurboTax Online, the steps in TurboTax’s help article on rejected returns are:

1. Sign in to your TurboTax account.
2. Select Fix my return to see the reject code and what it means.
3. Choose Fix it now and follow the on-screen directions to change the information that caused the rejection.
4. Select File and choose whether to e-file again or mail the return.

The deadline rules for a late rejection come from the Taxpayer Advocate Service’s page on rejected returns. If your return is rejected at the end of the filing season, you have 5 days to correct the errors and resubmit electronically. If you cannot e-file it, a paper return counts as on time if it is postmarked by the due date or within 10 calendar days of the IRS notifying you of the rejection, whichever is later. Keep the rejection notice and the date you received it.

Has the IRS ever extended a deadline because of an outage?

Yes, in 2018. In news release IR-2018-100, dated April 17, 2018, the IRS reported system issues that began on the morning of the deadline. It moved the filing and payment deadline to midnight on Wednesday, April 18, 2018, and said taxpayers did not need to do anything to receive the extra time.

Do not plan around a repeat. Any relief is the IRS’s decision, and it is announced on IRS.gov. If systems are down close to the deadline, keep screenshots with the time and consider filing Form 4868 as soon as filing works again.

Is the IRS app the same as IRS2Go?

Yes. The IRS renamed IRS2Go as the IRS app and says all previous services are still available. The app lets you check the status of a refund or amended return with or without signing in, pay a balance or schedule a payment, and access tax records. The IRS says it is available in English or Spanish on Google Play and the Apple App Store, and warns: “Do not download any apps from advertisements or unsolicited messages.”

How do I avoid tax scams during an outage?

• The IRS says it never asks for personal information by text, email or pop-up message. Delete messages about a “refund problem” that include a link.
• Type IRS.gov or the TurboTax address yourself instead of clicking a search ad.
• Never share a one-time code or password with anyone who calls you.
• Do not pay anyone a fee to “release” or “speed up” a refund.

For general steps while any service is down, see what to do when a big service is down.

Bottom line

Separate the two problems first. An outage or a maintenance window means you wait and retry. A rejection means your return is not filed until you fix it and resubmit, with 5 days to e-file again or 10 days to mail a paper return after a deadline rejection. File Form 4868 by April 15, 2027 if you need more time, and pay by that date either way.

FAQ

When does the 2027 tax filing season start?

As of November 9, 2026, the IRS had not announced the date. The IRS Free File page says to check back in January 2027.

Is Where’s My Refund down every Monday?

For three hours. The IRS says it is unavailable every Monday from midnight to 3 a.m. Eastern Time, and occasionally on Sundays from 1 a.m. to 7 a.m.

If TurboTax is down, is the IRS down too?

Not necessarily. TurboTax and the IRS run separate systems. Check each one before you decide where the problem is.

Does an extension give me more time to pay?

No. The IRS says an extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay. Pay what you owe by April 15, 2027 to avoid possible penalties.