Victims of the severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding last week in Tennessee may qualify for tax relief from the IRS.

Following the recent disaster declaration for individual assistance issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the IRS has announced that affected taxpayers in certain areas will receive tax relief.

Individuals and households who reside or have a business in Davidson, Putnam and Wilson counties may qualify for tax relief.

The declaration permits the IRS to postpone certain deadlines for taxpayers who reside or have a business in the disaster area. For instance, certain deadlines falling on or after March 3, 2020, and before July 15, 2020, are granted additional time to file through July 15, 2020.

The July 15, 2020 relief applies to the individual income tax returns due on April 15, 2020 and quarterly estimated income tax payments due on April 15, 2020, and June 15, 2020,and to quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due on April 30, 2020. It also applies to tax-exempt organizations, operating on a calendar-year basis, that have a 2019 return due on May 15, 2020. Among other things, affected taxpayers will also have until July 15, 2020 to make their 2019 IRA contributions. In addition, penalties on payroll and excise tax deposits due on or after March 3, 2020 and before March 18, 2020, will be abated as long as the tax deposits were made by March 18, 2020.

If an affected taxpayer receives a late filing or late payment penalty notice from the IRS that has an original or extended filing, payment or deposit due date that falls within the postponement period, the taxpayer should call the telephone number on the notice to have the IRS abate the penalty.

The IRS automatically identifies taxpayers located in the covered disaster area and applies automatic filing and payment relief, but affected taxpayers who reside or have a business located outside the covered disaster area must call the IRS disaster hotline at 866-562-5227 to request this tax relief.

As always, if you have any questions about how this announcement may effect you or your business, please contact your Whalen Advisor.