Don't Mess With Taxes

Some other taxpayers in areas hit by more recent major disasters get even later deadlines — Feb. 29 and June 17 — to complete various 2023 tax tasks.

Major disasters can strike anywhere, any time. When tax deadlines and the catastrophes coincide, the Internal Revenue Service  gives affected filers more time. Some of those deadlines are coming up in February. (Disaster collage courtesy National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

Yes, the current tax filing season just started this week, and millions already have sent their 2023 returns to the Internal Revenue Service.

But taxpayers in eight states and two U.S. territories are facing a Feb. 15 filing deadline for their 2022 taxes. The reason for the delay, however, is not one any of us would want.

They were given the added tax time because they live or have businesses in locations the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has declared major disaster areas.

And some other taxpayers in locales that took more recent catastrophic hits from Mother Nature get even more time to deal with 2023 tax tasks.

Locations facing Feb. 15 deadline: The catastrophes where taxpayers are facing a tax deadline in just more than two weeks are those hit between Aug. 8 and Oct. 9, 2023, by Hurricane Idalia, Hurricane Lee, Tropical Storm Bolaven, the wildfires in Hawaii, the seawater intrusion in Louisiana, and storms and flooding in Illinois.

The affected filers live or have businesses in —

• Forty-nine counties in Florida;
• Thirty-two counties in Georgia;
• All of Guam;
• Maui and Hawaii counties in Hawaii;
• Cook County in Illinois;  
• Five parishes in Louisiana;
• All 16 counties in Maine;
• All 14 counties in Massachusetts;
• Six islands in the Northern Mariana Islands; and
• All 46 counties in South Carolina.

Even later tax deadlines for other disaster areas: In addition to the approaching mid-February tax due date, the IRS also has granted later deadlines for a variety of 2023 tax tasks in other major disaster areas.

Taxpayers in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) also face a February deadline, but it's on the month's Leap Year extended last day. Elevated levels of lead and copper in the Saint Croix, USVI, water supply prompted the IRS to give these U.S. territory filers until Feb. 29 to make their fourth estimated tax payment for 2023 that was due on Jan. 16.

On Dec. 9-10, 2023, deadly tornadoes ravaged much of middle Tennessee. The IRS has given taxpayers in the twister paths until June 17, 2024, to file their 2023 returns, as well as meet other tax deadlines.

The June 17 tax deadline also applies to 2023 tax deadlines for taxpayers in disaster-declared parts of Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Southeastern Connecticut was hit by severe storms, flooding and a potential dam breach that began on Jan. 10. These Nutmeg State taxpayers now have until June 17 to file various federal individual and business 2023 tax returns and make tax payments.

Northern Rhode Island residents suffered through flooding and tornado damage between Sept. 10-13, 2023. FEMA finally issued a major disaster declaration for the area on Jan. 7. The IRS followed by giving Ocean State individual and business taxpayers until June 17 to meet various 2023 tax responsibilities and make associated payments, including filing federal tax returns.

Claiming a disaster tax deduction: The links in the above disaster area discussions (the bullet list ones are IRS releases) have more on the specific tax relief for each location.

But in addition to the IRS granting of tax deadline relief, I want to point out that federal tax law also provides those who've endured a major disaster the option to claim any uninsured losses as a tax deduction.

As long-time readers know, I've discussed this option in the all-too-frequent disaster declaration posts here on the ol' blog. You can find more about potential disaster tax deductions in my post Considerations in making a major disaster tax claim.

You also can find more on taxes and major disasters in the following posts.

• Picking up the pieces after a major disaster (after Tennessee info)
• Document your property for tax, insurance claims before storms hit
• IRS and other government resources can help you deal with a natural disaster
• Storm Warnings: Preparing for, recovering from, and helping those affected by natural disasters

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