Individuals and businesses impacted by Hurricane Harvey have been granted tax relief by the IRS.  The following counties are eligible:

  • Aransas
  • Bee
  • Brazoria
  • Calhoun
  • Chambers
  • Fort Bend
  • Galveston
  • Goliad
  • Harris
  • Jackson
  • Kleberg
  • Liberty
  • Matagorda
  • Nueces
  • Refugio
  • San Patricio
  • Victoria
  • Wharton

EXTENSIONS:  Individuals and businesses with valid extensions (due to expire 10/16/17 and 9/15/17 respectively) will now have until 1/31/18 to file returns and make payments.

PENALTIES:  Penalties for late or missing payments and filings are postponed as of 8/23/17.  Affected individuals and businesses have until 1/31/18.  This includes the 9/15/17 and 1/16/18 quarterly estimated tax payments.  For individuals it also includes 2016 income tax returns that received a filing extension until 10/16/17.  (Note that because tax payments related to these 2016 returns were originally due 4/18/17 those payments are not eligible for this relief.)

CASUALTY LOSSES:  Individuals and businesses that suffered uninsured or unreimbursed disaster-related losses can choose to claim them on either the return for the year the loss occurred (i.e. 2017) or the return for the prior year (i.e. 2016).

LATE PAYMENT NOTICES:  The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in the disaster area.  Affected taxpayers receiving a late filing or late payment penalty notice from the IRS 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 such relief who live outside the disaster area should contact the IRS at (866) 562-5227.

For additional information taxpayers are encouraged to visit the disaster relief page on the IRS website.