Dear IRS - Are you serious??

[austin3515]

The IRS FIRE site will be down for scheduled maintenance starting December 9, 2016 at 6 PM Eastern Standard Time through January 16, 2017

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Please tell me someone has a direct connection to some senior person at the IRS who can explain that this is beyond idiotic. 1099's are all due 1/31st and the very system needed to file said 1099's is out of commission until half way through the only month they can be filed?? Seriously?

[Tom Poje]

C'mon and get in the spirit

it is a holiday tradition on their part

I recall they did that last year as well.

so 'bah humbug' and all of that.

[My 2 cents]

Some of us only care about the 8955-SSA filings. The down period includes the filing deadlines for plans with plan years beginning between February 2 and April 1.

And yes, this happened last year (at least).

Naive question (since I am not involved with 1099-R filings): If one has the 1099-R filing ready to go before January 16 (is that even feasible?), how hard is it to shoot it through the FIRE system in the fortnight after it reopens?

How quickly are the 1099-R forms themselves usually ready to go? I expect that the forms must be issued before the FIRE filing can be submitted.

5 weeks does seem to be a long time for "scheduled maintenance", however.

[RatherBeGolfing]

We use Ftwilliams fulfillment service for 1099's, but doesn't FIRE go down like this every year?

I swear I laugh at the notice every year :/

Edited for clarity...

[austin3515]

We use FT as well, and we just can't finalize the submission. So of course for the 1099's it's not such a big deal. But I mean c'mon. It's the equivalent of the DOL saying EFAST is going to be down from January to June!

[RatherBeGolfing]

Oh I agree the timing is ridiculous. Our government in action

[My 2 cents]

Oh I agree the timing is ridiculous. Our government in action

Or inaction, as the case may be!