Preparation is not a prediction. A deadline can pass with a new law, a short CR, or a lapse that hits only some agencies. Prepare for delay, not for a guaranteed shutdown.
Everyone
- Bookmark this site’s current status and the responsible agency’s official
.govpage. - Download or print the last notice, award, pay stub, benefit letter, or court order you may need if a portal slows down.
- Do not send Social Security numbers, bank logins, or case files to unofficial sites or to our contact address.
- Treat “pay a fee to protect your benefits” messages as scams.
- If you have a time-sensitive application, file it before the deadline rather than waiting to see what Congress does.
Federal employees
- Save your agency’s written designation: furloughed, excepted, or exempt.
- Confirm how recall notices will arrive—email, phone, or an internal system.
- Review automatic bills if a delayed paycheck would create a cash-flow problem. Retroactive pay is required after a covered lapse; it is not always on the usual payday.
- Read federal employee pay during a shutdown.
Contractors
- Ask whether the contract is already funded and whether the contracting officer has issued or expects a stop-work order.
- Confirm building access, system access, and who can approve work if a federal supervisor is furloughed.
- Do not plan around automatic back pay. That statute covers federal employees, not contractor staff. See the contractor guide.
Benefits, VA, and student aid
- Keep scheduled deposits, medical appointments, and recertification deadlines unless the agency tells you otherwise.
- Screenshot your EBT balance, VA appointment, or StudentAid.gov confirmation.
- Nutrition programs are more time-sensitive than Social Security. Check SNAP and WIC and veterans benefits separately.
Travel and immigration
- Do not cancel a flight only because a shutdown is possible. Check the airline, TSA, and airport on travel day.
- If you need a passport, visa, or immigration appointment, confirm the specific facility is open before you travel.
- Keep copies of USCIS receipts and interview notices. A DHS-only lapse can change one component while others keep working.
Taxes, courts, loans, and grants
- IRS filing and payment deadlines remain unless the IRS formally postpones them.
- Court deadlines remain unless the court says otherwise. File on time.
- Ask a lender or awarding agency whether a closing, inspection, or new award is already obligated.
When the deadline arrives
Look first at enacted law, then at your agency’s notice. A late-night vote alone does not provide funding; the measure must become law. If a lapse begins, follow written instructions, not social posts. Use the impact checker to find the right guide, and send a documented error through the contact page.