Issuing Tax Refunds During Shutdown Was Illegal, Watchdog Says

The IRS broke the law when it processed tax returns and issued refunds during the government shutdown, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

Congressional leaders asked the office in May for an opinion on whether the agency violated the Antideficiency Act during the government shutdown, which lasted from Dec. 22, 2018, to Jan. 25, 2019. That law bars agencies from creating obligations or spending resources without appropriations unless they are legally authorized to do so.

• The White House Office of Management and Budget said in January that the IRS could process tax refunds, diverging from how earlier administrations had ...