Tax returns, home loans and other ways the government shutdown could affect you News Sports Life USA TODAY Obituaries eNewspaper First State Favorites Legals LOCAL Tax returns, home loans and other ways the government shutdown could affect you Jeanne Kuang The News Journal View Comments View Comments CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated the title of real estate lawyer Bill Ward. When Alexis Plank and other Delaware spouses of U.S. Coast Guard service members found out the federal government would be partially shut down, she said "everybody was freaking out." Though Plank is separated from her ex-husband, a Coast Guard officer stationed in Philadelphia, she still depends on his benefits and the alimony and child support he pays. All active-duty Coast Guard service members are working through the government shutdown, as they are deemed essential employees of the Department of Homeland Security. Coons on government shutdown: 'It's going to start hitting' Delaware Plank, who lives in Pike Creek, said she counts her family among the luckier ones of those affected by the shutdown, which has now lasted two weeks after the White House and Congress failed to agree on a funding bill. Having been in the Coast Guard for 16 years, Plank's ex gets paid more than some other members, and she has a job, too, managing a gym. "I feel for the families that have little [kids]," she said. Younger Coast Guard wives often don't work, she said, and families can live paycheck to paycheck. The Coast Guard was able to pay its active-duty personnel on Dec. 31, which Plank said helped. But she's hoping the agency gets funded before Jan. 15, when members are expecting their next paychecks. Government shutdown limits access to weather data Plank said she and other spouses of those stationed in the Coast Guard Delaware Bay Sector have been writing Delaware's congressional delegation nonstop, asking for a compromise. "The spouses are doing everything they can," she said. "I really have hope [Congress] will do the right thing." Even outside of payment, Plank said morale is low for her ex and his fellow service members. He told her that work has doubled as the civilian employees have all been furloughed, she said, and he hasn't been able to spend time with their son on the usual days. Delaware Sen. Chris Coons on Wednesday said because Delaware's share of federal employees is relatively small, the effects of the shutdown haven't been widely felt yet. But he warned they would be soon. What does the government shutdown mean to you? Find out what services are interrupted The largest federal government employer in Delaware is the Department of Veterans Affairs, with more than 1,000 employees statewide, according to October 2017 data. Most of them work at the VA hospital in Wilmington. That department has already been funded and is not affected by the shutdown. There are also more than 200 Department of Agriculture employees in Delaware, some of whom have been furloughed. Food inspections are continuing through the shutdown but many other agriculture programs, such as a Dover office that provides home loans to rural communities, are on hold. Federal law enforcement officers have largely been working during the shutdown, including the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, TSA, immigration officials and other agencies. An employee who answered the phone at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection office at the Port of Wilmington on Wednesday said all employees there were working without pay, though it was unclear how many employees there were. Even if you don't work for the federal government, the shutdown may affect you. Getting your tax returns The IRS, which is part of the Treasury Department, has categorized issuing refunds as a non-essential activity, which means workers processing them are furloughed. That could result in delays in getting your tax returns. Taxpayer services are also listed as non-essential, so it may be difficult to get questions answered by the IRS. All IRS offices are closed. A voicemail message at one of them noted taxpayers are still required to file their taxes by law. Buying a home There is limited staff at the Federal Housing Authority, so delays may be expected for those looking to get a loan approved. The FHA is approving single-family home loans during the shutdown but not Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM) and Title I loans. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, "a protracted shutdown could see a decline in home sales, reversing the trend toward a strengthening market that we've been experiencing." Bill Ward, a Wilmington real estate lawyer with Ward & Taylor, said FHA loans are moving forward at the moment, but there could be delays if the lender needs verification of tax returns from the IRS. Worse off are the Department of Agriculture home loans available to those in mainly rural areas. Employees at those offices are almost entirely furloughed during the shutdown. Starting a business The Small Business Administration has suspended its backing of loans for business owners, a program that helps those who may not qualify for traditional loans get the capital to start a business. Disaster loans are still available from the agency. Getting help for farms County Farm Service Agency offices closed last week, meaning limited loan services for farmers. Applications are still being taken until Jan. 15 for the agriculture program that makes payments to farmers to make up for retaliatory tariffs. Some farmers also depend on the Department of Agriculture's economic reports and projections, which are currently halted. Are you a Delawarean being affected by the government shutdown? Contact Jeanne Kuang at jkuang@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2476. Follow her on Twitter at @JeanneKuang. MORE FROM DELAWARE ONLINE Government shutdown 2019: News and updates for Friday, Jan. 4 Delaware Dem leaders support Joe Biden, but is he prepared to lead party progressives? 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