Hurricane season officially began June 1 — but disasters can strike anywhere, anytime. The IRS recommends taking steps now to protect your financial records and understand what tax relief is available if disaster hits.
Review Your Emergency Preparedness Plan
Everyone should have an emergency preparedness plan, reviewed at least once a year. Ready.gov offers practical resources, checklists, and templates to help you build or update yours. Don't wait until a storm is approaching.
Digitize and Back Up Important Documents
Paper records can be destroyed in a flood, fire, or storm. Protect yours:
- Scan or photograph key documents (tax returns, financial statements, insurance policies, IDs) and save them to a USB drive or cloud storage
- Enable electronic statements from your bank and financial institutions as a backup
- Create an IRS Individual Online Account to access past tax transcripts, notices, and payment history directly from the IRS
Document Your Valuables
If you ever need to file an insurance claim or claim a tax loss after a disaster, documentation is critical:
- Take photos or video of your belongings before disaster strikes
- Use the IRS disaster loss workbook (Publication 584) to compile a room-by-room inventory of possessions
What Tax Relief Is Available After a Disaster?
If you're in a federally declared disaster area, you may be eligible for:
- Automatic filing and payment extensions — no need to call the IRS
- Casualty loss deductions — review Publication 547, Casualties, Disasters and Thefts for details
- Expanded assistance — visit Disaster Assistance and Emergency Relief on IRS.gov
To see relief available in your state, go to Around the Nation on IRS.gov and select your state.
For disaster-related tax questions in a federally declared area, call the IRS Special Services Hotline at 866-562-5227.
Official IRS Sources
- Disaster Assistance and Emergency Relief for Individuals and Businesses
- Publication 547, Casualties, Disasters and Thefts
- Publication 584, Disaster Loss Workbook
- Publication 3067, IRS Disaster Assistance
- Around the Nation (state-specific relief)
- IRS Individual Online Account
CPA Tips
Create your IRS online account now, before a disaster. If records are lost, your IRS account lets you pull prior-year transcripts to prove income or deductions — critical for insurance claims and future filings.
Casualty loss deductions have strict rules. Losses are generally only deductible for federally declared disasters, and only for amounts not covered by insurance. Photos and a written inventory strengthen any claim.
For non-residents and foreign nationals with U.S. property: a disaster affecting your U.S. assets may have tax implications in both the U.S. and your home country. Consult a professional to understand both sides.
For your specific situation, consider consulting a licensed CPA or tax attorney.