The 2024 tax season isn’t over for everyone.
Thanks to multiple federally declared disasters in 2024, from tornadoes and flooding to wildfires and international crises, the IRS has granted automatic deadline extensions to taxpayers in more than a dozen regions. If your home, business, accountant, or records are based in one of these areas, you likely have more time to file and pay than you think.
The good news is that this is federally approved tax relief, backed by FEMA declarations and IRS policy. It could also prevent penalties and reduce stress.
Wondering If You Still Have Time to File Taxes in 2025? You Might.
The IRS has extended filing and payment deadlines for taxpayers in specific disaster-declared areas—some as far out as November 3, 2025. These extensions apply automatically if your IRS address of record, accountant, or records are tied to one of the affected regions.
Here’s who qualifies for more time to file in 2025:
Entire States Covered:
- ● Alabama
● Florida
● Georgia
● North Carolina
● South Carolina
● Tennessee (new as of April 2025)
● Kentucky
Select Counties and Regions:
- ● Virginia – Multiple counties and cities
● West Virginia – 13 designated counties
● Alaska – City and Borough of Juneau
● New Mexico – Chaves County
● California – Los Angeles County
● International – U.S. taxpayers affected by the 2023 terrorist attacks in Israel, Gaza, or the West Bank
Updated Filing Deadlines by Region
| Area | New Tax Filing Deadline |
|---|---|
| Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, parts of Virginia, Alaska, New Mexico | May 1, 2025 |
| All of Tennessee (as of April 14, 2025) | November 3, 2025 |
| Kentucky and parts of West Virginia | November 3, 2025 |
| Los Angeles County, CA | October 15, 2025 |
| U.S. taxpayers impacted by attacks in Israel/Gaza/West Bank | September 30, 2025 |
These dates apply to individuals, businesses, and nonprofits.
What’s Covered Under IRS Disaster Relief?
If you’re in a qualifying area, the IRS has granted automatic extensions for:
● Individual income tax returns and payments
● Quarterly estimated payments (April 15, June 17, September 16)
● IRA and HSA contributions for 2024
● Payroll and excise tax filings
● Business, corporate, and nonprofit returns
Penalty relief may also apply to payroll and excise tax deposits due between April 2 and April 17, 2025 (if paid by April 17).
What Most Taxpayers (and Some Tax Pros) Overlook
At Positive Rate, we’ve seen firsthand how disaster relief gets missed, even by experienced tax filers. Here are the most common blind spots:
1. You might qualify even if you don’t live there.
If your records, payroll provider, or tax preparer are located in a disaster-affected area, you may still qualify for IRS relief—even if your business or home isn’t.
2. More time means more strategy.
Extended deadlines give you additional time to contribute to retirement accounts, plan cash flow, or retroactively claim disaster-related deductions.
3. You can claim losses sooner.
If you had uninsured losses from a disaster in 2024, you may be able to claim them on your 2023 return for a faster refund. This requires a special election and isn’t automatic.
4. Nonprofits and businesses are included.
Filing deadlines for Forms 1120, 1065, 990, 941, and 720 may also be extended if you’re located in an eligible area.
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Need Expert Tax Help with the Details?
At Positive Rate, we help business owners, nonprofits, and individuals make sense of complex tax rules, including disaster-related relief. Whether you’re in Tennessee, Georgia, or tied to affected areas through vendors or data, we’ll help you act on what applies and plan smartly for the rest.
Get in touch today to avoid missed savings and unnecessary penalties.
IRS Disaster Relief FAQs
No. If your IRS address is in a covered area, it’s automatic.
You may still qualify. Contact the IRS Disaster Hotline at 866-562-5227 or work with a tax advisor to request relief.
Yes. Relief covers a wide range of filings including Forms 1065, 1120, 990, 941, and more.
Yes. Use Form 4868 to extend your filing deadline—but payment deadlines are only extended by IRS disaster relief.
Yes, if they are uninsured or unreimbursed. You can choose to claim them in the year the loss occurred or the prior year. See IRS Pub 547.
