IRS reminder to storm victims in 3 states: File and pay by Oct. 16; most of California, parts of Alabama and Georgia affected
The Internal Revenue Service today reminded individuals and businesses in most of California and parts of Alabama and Georgia that their 2022 federal income tax returns and tax payments are due on Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. The normal due date of April 18 was postponed for many residents of these states in the wake of natural disasters earlier this year.
The IRS normally provides relief, including postponing various tax filing and payment deadlines, for any area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). As long as their address of record is in a disaster-area locality, individual and business taxpayers automatically get the extra time, without having to ask for it.
What areas qualify for the Oct. 16 deadline?
Thirteen counties in Alabama due to severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes starting on Jan. 12. The disaster area includes Autauga, Barbour, Chambers, Conecuh, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore, Greene, Hale, Mobile, Morgan, Sumter and Tallapoosa counties.
Fifty-five of California's 58 counties—all except Lassen, Modoc and Shasta counties. IRS relief is based on three different FEMA disaster declarations covering various jurisdictions and event time frames.
Nine counties in Georgia due to severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes beginning on Jan. 12. The disaster area includes Butts, Crisp, Henry, Jasper, Meriwether, Newton, Pike, Spalding and Troup counties.
The current list of eligible localities is always available on the disaster relief page on IRS.gov.
What returns and payments qualify for the Oct. 16 deadline?
Eligible returns and payments include:
2022 individual income tax returns and payments normally due on April 18.
For eligible taxpayers, 2022 contributions to IRAs and health savings accounts.
Quarterly estimated tax payments normally due on April 18, June 15 and Sept. 15.
Calendar-year 2022 partnership and S corporation returns normally due on March 15.
Calendar-year 2022 corporate and fiduciary income tax returns and payments normally due on April 18.
Quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due on May 1 and July 31.
Calendar-year 2022 returns filed by tax-exempt organizations normally due on May 15.
Other returns, payments and time-sensitive tax-related actions also qualify for the extra time. See the IRS disaster relief page for details.
For those planning ahead, is relief available for Hurricane Idalia and the Hawaii wildfires?
Yes, but primarily for individuals and businesses who already requested extensions to file their 2022 returns. In general, these taxpayers now have until Feb. 15, 2024, to file. As a reminder, this is more time to file, not to pay. Details vary but currently, relief is available to:
Forty-nine counties in Florida.
Twenty-eight counties in Georgia.
All 46 counties in South Carolina.
Maui and Hawaii counties in Hawaii.
Other relief
The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in the disaster area. Therefore, taxpayers do not need to contact the agency to get this relief. However, if an affected taxpayer receives a late filing or late payment penalty notice from the IRS that has an original or extended filing, payment or deposit due date falling within the postponement period, the taxpayer should call the number on the notice to have the penalty abated.
In addition, the IRS will work with any taxpayer who lives outside the disaster area but whose records necessary to meet a deadline occurring during the postponement period are located in the affected area. Taxpayers qualifying for relief who live outside the disaster area need to contact the IRS at 866-562-5227. This also includes workers assisting with relief activities who are affiliated with a recognized government or philanthropic organization.
Individuals and businesses in a federally declared disaster area who suffered uninsured or unreimbursed disaster-related losses can choose to claim them on either the return for the year the loss occurred (in this instance, the 2023 return normally filed in early 2024), or the return for the prior year (that is, the 2022 return normally filed in 2023). See Publication 547 for details.
The tax relief is part of a coordinated federal response to the damage caused by these disasters and is based on local damage assessments by FEMA. For information on disaster recovery, visit DisasterAssistance.gov