6 Ways The IRS Can Help In The Event Of A Disaster

We are one month into Hurricane Season, and the IRS wants people to know they are here to help! Below you will find six things you can do to prepare for a natural disaster, and use in the case of a disaster.

1. Plan Early. As the saying goes, “those who fail, fail to plan.” The IRS has a specific page dedicated to preparing for disasters before disaster actually strikes. The page highlights paperless record keeping and documenting valuables and equipment.
2. Federally Declared Disasters. The IRS puts special tax law provisions in place that may help taxpayers and businesses recover financially when the government declares their location to be a major disaster area. These can include extensions for filing and paying taxes. For more about Special tax law provisions, click here.
3. Rush Your Refund . If you are in a federally declared disaster area, you can file a claim for the damage done by disasters on the previous year’s tax return. In most cases, you will do this by filing an amended return.
4. Disaster Declarations . If you feel that you have been the victim of a disaster, and want to see if you’re eligible for tax relief, check this page of the IRS website.
5. Check Disasters by State. Check disasters by local area using this site. If you need to contact your local office, find their contact information here.
6. Charities and Relief Resources. If you would like to start or find a charity or other disaster relief contributor, take a look at this resource from the IRS.

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