The IRS is offering victims of Hurricane Florence tax relief. If you are located in an area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as qualifying for individual assistance, you now have until Jan. 31, 2019 to file certain individual and business tax returns and make certain tax payments.
Currently, those areas only include parts of North Carolina. However, the same relief will extend to any localities that are added later to the disaster area, including additional states.
The North Carolina counties that qualify for individual assistance are:
- Beaufort
- Brunswick
- Carteret
- Craven
- New Hanover
- Onslow
- Pamlico
- Pender
An updated list of eligible localities in disaster areas is always available on the IRS disaster relief page.
Hurricane Florence Tax Relief Details
The recent tax relief postpones various tax filing and payment deadlines in North Carolina that typically occur between Sept. 7, 2018 and Jan. 31, 2019. That includes all original and extended deadlines.
If you’re affected by the disaster, you now have until Jan. 31, 2019 to file returns or pay any taxes originally due during that period, such as:
Additionally, penalties on payroll and excise tax deposits on or after Sept. 7, 2018, but before Sept. 24, 2018, will be abated. That’s as long as the deposits are made by Sept. 24, 2018.
Automatic Disaster Relief Extended
You do not need to contact the IRS to take advantage of the tax relief. It’s automatically extended to anyone with an address of record located in the disaster area. The IRS will also work with you if you reside outside of the disaster area but have records that indicate you need to meet a deadline occurring during the postponement period for a business or other reason located in the affected area. In that scenario, you should contact the IRS at 1-866-562-5227 for assistance.
If you live in the affected area but still receive a late filing or late payment penalty from the IRS, call the number on the notice to have the penalty removed.
Get more tax relief details by visiting the IRS resource page for Hurricane Florence victims.
For information on disaster recovery, visit disasterassistance.gov.