When a natural disaster strikes, dealing with taxes is the last thing on your mind. If you were affected by the severe storms and flooding that hit parts of Wisconsin in August, here is some good news: the IRS has announced tax relief to give you more time to file and pay.
This decision comes after FEMA issued a disaster declaration, making it possible for both individuals and businesses in certain counties to qualify for special tax relief measures.
Who qualifies for the IRS flood tax relief
Not everyone will qualify, so it is important to know if you fall within the covered areas. According to the IRS, the relief applies to:
- Individuals and households living in Milwaukee, Washington, and Waukesha counties.
- Businesses and tax-exempt organizations in these same areas.
If you live or run a business outside of these counties but were still affected, you can call the IRS at 866-562-5227 to request relief.
What deadlines have been extended
The IRS has pushed back several key deadlines to February 2, 2026. This gives you extra time to file returns and make certain tax payments that were originally due on or after August 9, 2024.
Here are the main deadlines now extended:
- Individual, business, or tax-exempt returns that had extensions running out later this year.
- Quarterly estimated tax payments that were due September 15, 2024, and January 15, 2026.
- Quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due October 31, 2024, and January 31, 2026.
- Calendar-year partnerships and S corporations with 2024 extensions ending September 15.
- Calendar-year corporations with 2024 extensions ending October 15.
- Calendar-year tax-exempt organizations with extensions ending November 17.
In simple terms, if you were supposed to file or pay federal taxes during this time, you now have until February 2, 2026.
What payments are included and what are not
It is important to know what exactly this relief covers. The IRS explained that filing extensions give you more time to file your paperwork, but they do not give you extra time to pay if you already owed taxes.
So, while you may get more time to file, if you had a balance due before the flooding, those payments are still expected.
If you happen to receive a penalty notice for late filing or late payment that falls within the relief period, you should call the number listed on your notice. The IRS will work with you to remove the penalty.
How to suspend automatic tax payments
Some taxpayers have automatic payments set up with the IRS or through their banks. If that is you, and you want to pause them while you get back on your feet, you should either:
- Call the IRS directly at 866-562-5227, or
- Contact your bank to stop the debit.
This step is important if you are not ready to make payments but already have automatic withdrawals scheduled.
What to do if you do not qualify for relief
If you live outside the disaster counties and cannot get special relief, you may still be able to request reasonable cause penalty abatement. This option allows you to explain your situation to the IRS and possibly avoid penalties. More information can be found on the IRS website.
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