IRS gives one-day reprieve on taxes after major computer breakdown

The IRS gave taxpayers an additional day to file their returns — until midnight Wednesday — after the agency sustained a major breakdown that left its systems unable to accept online filings or payments for much of Tuesday.

The embarrassing chaos left agency leaders struggling for an explanation and forced them to apologize for bungling the biggest day of the year. It comes just as the agency begins to carry out Republicans’ tax cut law.

Returns and payments for the 2017 tax year now must be filed before midnight Wednesday, the agency said. The grace period applies to both businesses and individuals.