IRS Announces Tax Relief for Ohio Taxpayers Impacted by Tornadoes

The IRS has announced tax relief for individuals and businesses in Ohio affected by the tornadoes that began on March 14, 2024. This relief extends various tax filing and payment deadlines to September 3, 2024.

Affected Areas

Taxpayers in the following counties qualify for relief: Auglaize, Crawford, Darke, Delaware, Hancock, Licking, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Richland, and Union. This list may expand if additional areas are designated by FEMA. For the most up-to-date information, visit the Tax Relief in disaster situations page on IRS.gov.

Extended Deadlines

• Individual income tax returns and payments due April 15, 2024.
  2023 contributions to IRAs and health savings accounts.
• Quarterly estimated income tax payments due April 15 and June 17, 2024.
• Quarterly payroll and excise tax returns due April 30 and July 31, 2024.
• Calendar-year partnership and S corporation returns due March 15, 2024.
• Calendar-year corporation and fiduciary returns and payments due April 15, 2024.
• Calendar-year tax-exempt organization returns due May 15, 2024.

The IRS provides automatic filing and penalty relief to taxpayers with an IRS address of record in the disaster area. These taxpayers do not need to contact the agency to receive this relief. If a taxpayer receives a late filing or late payment penalty notice, they should call the number on the notice to have the penalty abated.

Special Circumstances

Taxpayers who live outside the disaster area but have records in the affected area or are assisting relief efforts may also qualify for relief. They should contact the IRS at 866-562-5227. Disaster area tax preparers with clients outside the disaster area can use the Bulk requests from practitioners for disaster relief option.

Extensions and Additional Relief

Taxpayers needing further extensions beyond September 3, 2024, can file Form 4868 for an automatic extension until October 15, 2024. However, payments are still due by September 3, 2024.

Affected individuals and businesses can claim uninsured or unreimbursed disaster-related losses on either their 2024 or 2023 tax returns. Be sure to write the FEMA declaration number 4777-DR on any return claiming a loss. See Publication 547 for details.

Qualified disaster relief payments are generally excluded from gross income. This includes amounts for reasonable and necessary expenses received from government agencies. See Publication 525 for more details.

Retirement Plan Relief

Affected taxpayers may take special disaster distributions from retirement plans without the additional 10% early distribution tax and can spread the income over three years. They may also be eligible for hardship withdrawals.

Ongoing Relief Efforts

The IRS will continue to provide additional disaster relief as needed. This tax relief is part of a coordinated federal response to the tornadoes, based on FEMA assessments. For disaster recovery information, visit DisasterAssistance.gov.

Tax Return Preparation Options

• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) sites offer free tax help. Use the VITA Locator Tool or call 800-906-9887.
• IRS Free File is available for individuals or families with an AGI of $79,000 or less. Visit IRS Free File for details.
• MilTax, a Department of Defense program, offers free tax preparation software for military members and some veterans. Visit MilTax for more information.

For more information about the Tax Relief for taxpayers impacted by tornadoes in Ohio, contact us.