IRS Issues Urgent Tax Reminder to Millions in Disaster-Affected Regions
The IRS also issued a notification for taxpayers residing and working overseas.
In a recent announcement, the IRS emphasized that individuals and businesses affected by the 2024 disaster declarations do not need to file their taxes by April 15.
The May 1 deadline applies to those impacted by disaster declarations made by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) throughout the previous year. This includes taxpayers across the entire states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, as well as Juneau, Alaska; Chaves County, New Mexico; and multiple counties in Tennessee and Virginia.
For the May 1 Virginia tax deadline, affected counties and cities include Albemarle, Appomattox, Bedford, Bland, and Botetourt counties; Bristol City; Buchanan, Buckingham, Carroll, and Charlotte counties; Covington City; Craig County; Danville City; Dickenson and Floyd counties; Galax City; Giles, Grayson, Greene, Lee, Madison, Montgomery, and Nelson counties; Norton City; Patrick, Pittsylvania, and Pulaski counties; Radford City; Roanoke City; and Roanoke, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe counties, according to the IRS.
The IRS further clarified that the May 1 deadline also includes Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties in Tennessee.
In addition to tax filing obligations, businesses and taxpayers in the specified regions are encouraged to electronically file a tax extension by April 15 if needed, as advised by the IRS.
Additionally, the IRS reminded taxpayers in Los Angeles County, California, affected by the severe wildfires in the Pacific Palisades area in January that they have until October 15 to file their taxes.
Taxpayers across all of Kentucky and in the West Virginia counties of Boone, Greenbrier, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers, Wayne, and Wyoming can file their taxes by November 3, according to the IRS.
“The IRS automatically grants filing and penalty relief to any taxpayer with an IRS address of record located within the disaster area,” the IRS stated. “Affected taxpayers do not need to contact the agency to receive this relief. However, if a taxpayer who is affected receives a late filing or late payment penalty notice from the IRS, indicating an original or extended filing, payment, or deposit due date that falls within the postponement period, they should call the number provided on the notice to have the penalty waived.”
Taxpayers with businesses in Israel, the West Bank, or Gaza, as well as those affected by the terrorist attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023, in Israel, have until September 30 of this year to file and pay their taxes, the IRS noted. Most tax returns and payments due between October 7, 2023, and September 30, 2025, will be affected.