Don't Mess With Taxes

Hurricane Ida is one reason why some taxpayers don't have to get their extended tax returns to the IRS on Oct. 15. (National Hurricane Center radar image of Ida making landfall)

Millions of taxpayers are frantically filling out Internal Revenue Service forms right now. They are the folks who got an extension until today, Oct. 15, to submit their annual federal tax returns.

Some, however, aren't in a hurry. The IRS has given them more time to complete their returns.

Disaster related added delays: Unfortunately for those filers, the reason for an extended extension deadline isn't a welcome one. They live in parts of the United States that were hit by major disasters.

The biggie this year was Hurricane Ida, which made landfall on Aug. 29 near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, as a Category 4 'cane.

It was the second-most intense and damaging hurricane to come ashore in the United States, right behind the devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005. But Ida didn't confine her fury to the Pelican State. As it moved northeastward over land, it produced catastrophic flooding into some East Coast states.

All those affected by Ida obviously were granted tax relief by the IRS, but it wasn't the only disaster that prompted such tax-related action.

Among the tax relief is time beyond the Oct. 15 deadline. The list below shows the new extended filing due dates, in new deadline order, for those in areas struck by disasters.

• Nov. 1, 2021, for Michigan residents who endured severe storms, flooding, and tornadoes, and Mississippi filers who were hit by and Hurricane Ida;
• Nov. 15, 2021, for victims of California wildfires;
• Dec. 15, 2021, for North Carolina taxpayers who dealt with remnant of Tropical Strom Fred; and
• Jan. 3, 2022, for those affected by Tennessee severe storms and flooding, as well as Hurricane Ida victims in Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

The IRS' online disaster relief page has details on these and other disaster situations where relief has been granted.

Military extensions, too: In addition, members of the U.S. Armed Forces who are serving in a combat zone get more time to file. So do certain civilian support personnel assigned to those active areas.

Service personnel or support staff deployed to those areas generally have at least 180 days after leaving the combat zone to file returns and pay any taxes due.

If these extended deadline situations apply to you, then you don't have to worry about taxes today. Just mark your calendars and tend to the tax task at the IRS-approved later date.

You also might find these items of interest:

• Tax tips for members of the U.S. military
• Considerations in making a major disaster tax claim
• IRS and other government resources can help you deal with a natural disaster

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