File Taxes Last Minute? You May Have Helped Crash the IRS Website

Yesterday, April 17, was the last day to file your taxes. My husband and I are never early, like the majority of people that I know. He not only teaches at two schools, but he also has a music teaching business, so we have to file a Schedule C and usually have to pony up a wad of cash at the end of the year, so we wait until the last minute.

Our accountant told us that she couldn't file the return in time, so, she would file an extension for us. We also had to make some sort of payment to the IRS. We didn't have a final number, but, she advised to pick a number that we think is close to what we might owe. OK, fine.

Yesterday, my husband went online to http://www.irs.gov and put in all our info. It kept coming back as: "We're sorry, there's a problem" or something like that. I tried to find out exactly what the circumstance was, but I've learned when he's shelling out money to Uncle Sam, it's best to keep my distance. After about an hour, he emerges from the home office and said that FINALLY, he was able to make a payment successfully.

This morning, according to an article in the New York Times, I found out that so many people were scrambling to pay their taxes that the online payment section of the IRS's website CRASHED, so a LOT of people couldn't make their payments.

At first, the IRS said, "too bad, so sad," however, later in the day/night, they said that people have until midnight TONIGHT, April 18, to pay and no penalties will incur.

We'll be better about this.... Next year.