Citing the recent sixteen day federal government shutdown, the United States Internal Revenue Service had delayed the start of the tax filing season by one to two weeks. The original schedule was to open filing on January 21, 2014 but had now decided to start accepting tax returns for year 2013 by January 28, 2014. 

According to the ageny, it would be making a final decision on the date by December, in its recently released statement. It read, "Readying our systems to handle the tax season is an intricate detailed process and we must take time to get it right." The statement was signed by Danny Werfel, acting IRS commissioner.

This is the second year that the IRS had postponed the filing season. The returns from 2012 were allowed to be received as late as January 30 due to US congressional delay on some tax policies to be implemented.

The IRS had nearly 90% of its workforce on extended vacation due to the government shutdown which had started on October 1.