A record 19 million taxpayers asked the Internal Revenue Service for extra time to file their 2021 individual income tax returns this spring.
As the Monday, Oct. 17 deadline on those six-month extensions is approaching, many taxpayers and tax pros say they are still scrambling. A variety of factors is to blame beyond just procrastination, tax preparers say: shifting due dates, Covid-related tax law changes, late forms, the IRS backlog and taxpayer burnout.