How the government shutdown is affecting Americans

What we're covering here

We asked for your shutdown stories. Here's what you told us. (CNN hasn't been able to independently verify all of these accounts. The responses have been lightly edited for clarity.)

It's the 15th day of the shutdown. In a meeting with Democratic lawmakers Friday, Trump refused to back off his $5.6 billion demand for a border wall.

Has the shutdown affected you? Tell us your story here.

1:04 p.m. ET, January 5, 2019

The shutdown is messing with financial aid

The IRS is one of the federal agencies closed during the government shutdown.

Several students say they haven't been able to get the tax transcripts they need in order to process their financial aid. It's left some of them unable to afford tuition and possibly having to delay their courses for another semester.Read more...