Partner Support is sharing today’s IRS News Release announcing that taxpayers in most of California and parts of Alabama and Georgia now have until Oct. 16, 2023 to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments. Previously, the deadline had been postponed to May 15 for these areas.

• IR-2023-33 – February 24, 2023 – Tax Deadline Extended to Oct. 16 for Disaster Area Taxpayers in California, Alabama and Georgia | Español

WASHINGTON — Disaster-area taxpayers in most of California and parts of Alabama and Georgia now have until Oct. 16, 2023, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments, the Internal Revenue Service announced today. Previously, the deadline had been postponed to May 15 for these areas.

The IRS is offering relief to any area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in these three states. There are four different eligible FEMA declarations, and the start dates and other details vary for each of these disasters. The current list of eligible localities and other details for each disaster are always available on the Tax Relief in Disaster Situations page on IRS.gov.

The additional relief postpones until Oct. 16, various tax filing and payment deadlines, including those for most calendar-year 2022 individual and business returns. This includes: Individual income tax returns, originally due on April 18; Various business returns, normally due on March 15 and April 18; and returns of tax-exempt organizations, normally due on May 15.

Among other things, this means that eligible taxpayers will also have until Oct. 16 to make 2022 contributions to their IRAs and health savings accounts.

In addition, farmers who choose to forgo making estimated tax payments and normally file their returns by March 1 will now have until Oct. 16, 2023, to file their 2022 return and pay any tax due.

The Oct. 16 deadline also applies to the estimated tax payment for the fourth quarter of 2022, originally due on Jan. 17, 2023. This means that taxpayers can skip making this payment and instead include it with the 2022 return they file, on or before Oct. 16.

The Oct. 16 deadline also applies to 2023 estimated tax payments, normally due on April 18, June 15 and Sept. 15. It also applies to the quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due on Jan. 31, April 30 and July 31.

The Disaster Assistance and Emergency Relief for Individuals and Businesses page has details on other returns, payments and tax-related actions qualifying for the additional time. Taxpayers in the affected areas do not need to file any extension paperwork, and they do not need to call the IRS to qualify for the extended time.

The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in the disaster area. Therefore, taxpayers do not need to contact the agency to get this relief. However, 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 falling within the postponement period, the taxpayer should call the number on the notice to have the penalty abated.

In addition, the IRS will work with any taxpayer who lives outside the disaster area but whose records necessary to meet a deadline occurring during the postponement period are located in the affected area. Taxpayers qualifying for relief who live outside the disaster area need to contact the IRS at 866-562-5227. This also includes workers assisting the relief activities who are affiliated with a recognized government or philanthropic organization.

Individuals and businesses in a federally declared disaster area who suffered uninsured or unreimbursed disaster-related losses can choose to claim them on either the return for the year the loss occurred or the return for the prior year. See Publication 547, Casualties, Disasters, and Thefts for details.

The tax relief is part of a coordinated federal response to the damage caused by these storms and is based on local damage assessments by FEMA. For information on disaster recovery, visit DisasterAssistance.gov.

IRS Disaster Relief Resource Page: 

Find information on the most recent tax relief provisions for taxpayers affected by disaster situations by going to the IRS Tax Relief in Disaster Situations | Español webpage. Click on 2023 to access a dropdown of the individual notices containing details and instructions for the specific state. Remember to check back for any new additions. 

Other IRS Disaster Resources: 

• Disaster Relief Resource Center for Tax Professionals
• FAQs for Disaster Victims for information about the definition of an affected taxpayer
• IRS News From Around the Nation | Español, where you can click on any state to view IRS news specific to local areas, primarily disaster relief or tax provisions 

Disaster Related IRS Publications

• Publication 547, Casualties, Disasters and Theft
  Publication 584, Casualty, Disaster, and Theft Loss Workbook
• Publication 584B, Business Casualty, Disaster, and Theft Loss Workbook
• Publication 2194, Disaster Resource Guide for Individuals and Businesses
• Publication 3833, Disaster Relief: Providing Assistance through Charitable Organizations

The above IRS news release, along with the Tax Relief in Disaster Situations page and other related disaster resources, are also easily accessible from your Resource Center > Industry Links page (IRS Top News Release; FAQs; IRS Quick Links; and IRS Resources sections).

Thank you,

Your Partner Support Team