Disaster area taxpayers are eligible for tax deadline extensions until May 15

STORM-IMPACTED COUNTIES, Calif. – Taxpayers in national disaster areas of California now have until Oct. 16, 2023 to file their federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments according to the Internal Revenue Service.

Prior to this announcement, the IRS had already pushed the deadline to May 15.

This relief is limited to areas designated as disaster areas by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. A full list of eligible localities and other details can be found here.

Included in this deadline change are calendar-year 2022 individual income tax returns, originally due on Apr. 18; various business returns, normally due Mar. 15 and Apr. 18; and returns for tax-exempt organizations, normally due on May 15.

These changes mean that eligible taxpayers will also have until Oct. 16 to make 2022 contributions to their IRAs and health savings accounts.

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

The Oct. 16 deadline applies to the estimated tax payment for the fourth quarter of 2022, originally due Jan. 17, 2023 which means taxpayers can include this payment with the 2022 return they file on or before Oct. 16.

Additionally, the Oct. 16 deadline also applies to 2023 estimated tax payments that are usually due on Apr. 18, Jun. 15 and Sep. 15 as well as the quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due on Jan. 31, Apr. 30, and Jul. 31.

Taxpayers that are eligible for this extension do not need to file any extension paperwork nor call the IRS to qualify, the IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief based on the address of record located in the disaster area.

If you are eligible for this relief and still receive notice of late filing or late payment within the new postponement period, you are instructed to call the number on your notice to have the penalty abated.

Some taxpayers outside of the disaster area may still qualify for this relief and can contact the IRS at 866-562-5227 for more information.

Lastly, individuals or businesses in federally declared disaster areas 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. Visit this webpage for more details.