The IRS has announced tax relief measures for individuals and businesses in parts of West Virginia impacted by severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides, and mudslides beginning on February 15, 2025.
Affected taxpayers now have until November 3, 2025, to file federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.
The IRS relief applies to areas designated by FEMA. Currently, businesses and individuals in Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Wayne, and Wyoming counties qualify. Additional counties may be added, and the updated list is available on the IRS.gov Tax Relief in Disaster Situations page.
Filing and Payment Relief
The relief extends tax deadlines for filings and payments due between February 15 and November 3, 2025. Affected taxpayers now have until November 3, 2025, to meet these obligations. This includes:
- Individual income tax returns and payments originally due April 15, 2025.
- 2024 IRA and health savings account contributions.
- Quarterly estimated tax payments due April 15, June 16, and September 15, 2025.
- Quarterly payroll and excise tax returns due April 30, July 31, and October 31, 2025.
- Calendar-year partnership and S corporation returns due March 17, 2025.
- Calendar-year corporate and fiduciary returns and payments due April 15, 2025.
- Tax-exempt organization returns due May 15, 2025.
Penalties for payroll and excise tax deposits due between February 15 and March 3, 2025, will be waived if deposits are made by March 3, 2025.
Details on additional qualifying returns, payments, and tax actions can be found on the IRS Disaster Assistance and Emergency Relief page.
The IRS automatically applies this relief based on the taxpayer’s IRS address of record. Those who moved into the disaster area after filing a return or whose necessary records are in the affected area should contact the IRS at 866-562-5227 to request relief.
Read also: IRS Reminder: Retirees Turning 73 in 2024 Must Take RMDs by April 1, 2025
Additional Tax Relief
Businesses and individuals in disaster areas with uninsured or unreimbursed losses can claim them on either their 2025 return (filed next year) or their 2024 return. The deadline for this election is six months after the due date of the 2025 return, extending to October 15, 2026, for individuals. Taxpayers should write FEMA declaration number 4861-DR on any return claiming a loss.
Qualified disaster relief payments from government agencies are generally excluded from gross income. This covers necessary living, funeral, and home repair expenses.
Retirement account holders in disaster areas may qualify for special disaster distributions, which are exempt from the 10% early withdrawal penalty and can be spread over three years. Hardship withdrawals may also be an option, with specific plan rules applying.
Additional IRS relief may be announced as the situation develops.
Taxpayers outside disaster areas who face hardship due to the disaster may qualify for reasonable cause penalty abatement.
Source: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/
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