Back-to-back hurricanes in the last few weeks have left much of the Southeast and Texas devastated, but the IRS is giving victims of these storms extra time to file tax returns.
Taxpayers in those areas affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma that have been declared federal disaster areas are eligible for the extension of time. Taxpayers in those areas have until Jan. 31, 2018, to file certain returns and make certain tax payments.
These extended deadlines apply to the following:
- Tax filing and payment deadlines that occurred starting on Sept. 4, 2017, in Florida and Sept. 5, 2017, in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
- The Sept. 15, 2017, and Jan. 16, 2018, deadlines for making quarterly estimated tax payments. For individual tax filers, it also includes 2016 income tax returns that received a tax-filing extension until Oct. 16, 2017. Note, however, that because tax payments related to these 2016 returns were originally due on April 18, 2017, those payments are not eligible for this relief.
- A variety of business tax deadlines are also affected including the Oct. 31 deadline for quarterly payroll and excise tax returns.
- Businesses with extensions also have the additional time including, among others, calendar-year partnerships whose 2016 extensions run out on Sept. 15, 2017, and calendar-year tax-exempt organizations whose 2016 extensions run out on Nov. 15, 2017.
- In addition, the IRS is waiving late-deposit penalties for federal payroll and excise tax deposits normally due during the first 15 days of the disaster period.
According to the IRS, the areas included so far in the Presidential Disaster Areas as a result of Hurricane Irma are all 67 counties in Florida and all 159 counties in Georgia.
Several counties in Texas are eligible for the extended tax deadlines as a result of Hurricane Harvey. Those counties are: Aransas, Austin, Bastrop, Bee, Bexar, Brazoria, Burleson, Calhoun, Chambers, Colorado, Dallas, De Witt, Fayette, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Gonzales, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Karnes, Kleberg, Lavaca, Lee, Liberty, Madison, Matagorda, Montgomery, Newton, Nueces, Orange, Polk, Refugio, Sabine, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Tarrant, Travis, Tyler, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Washington and Wharton.
If you live or your business is located in one of the federal disaster areas affected by the recent hurricanes and you receive a late filing or late payment penalty notice from the IRS for one of these extended deadlines, please contact us immediately.
We will be sure to keep you posted if more areas qualify for the extended tax relief.
Click here to read more about the tax relief offered to victims of Hurricane Harvey.
Click here to read more about the tax relief offered to victims of Hurricane Irma.