Taxpayers in North Carolina now have until May 1, 2025 to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments following the devastation of Hurricane Helene, the Internal Revenue Service announced Wednesday.
It's an attempt for the IRS to offer tax relief for people and businesses across the state.
"Following the disaster declaration issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), individuals and households that reside or have a business in the entire state qualify for tax relief," the IRS said.
North Carolina residents with returns and payments with due dates postponed until Feb. 3, 2025 because of Tropical Storm Debby will be eligible for the May 1, 2025 deadline.
The declaration lets the IRS postpone certain deadlines for taxpayers who live in or have a business in the disaster area. Certain deadlines falling on or after Sept. 25, 2024, and before May 1, 2025, are granted additional time to file through May 1, 2025.
According to the IRS, the May 1, 2025, filing deadline applies to:
- Individuals who had a valid extension to file their 2023 return due to run out on Oct. 15, 2024. The IRS noted, however, that because tax payments related to these 2023 returns were due on April 15, 2024, those payments are not eligible for this relief
- Calendar-year corporations whose 2023 extensions run out on Oct. 15, 2024
The May 1, 2025, deadline also applies to any payment normally due during this period, including the quarterly estimated tax payments due on Jan. 15 and April 15, 2025, the IRS said. It also applies to the quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due on Oct. 31, 2024, Jan. 31, 2025 and April 30, 2025.
Penalties on payroll and excise tax deposits due on or after Sept. 25, 2024, and before Oct. 10, 2024, will be abated as long as the tax deposits are made by Oct. 10, 2024, the IRS said.
Those located in a covered disaster area will automatically receive the relief, but taxpayers who live outside the covered area should call the IRS disaster hotline at 866-562-5227 to request this tax relief.
The IRS said they will waive the usual fees and requests for copies of previously filed tax returns for affected taxpayers. Taxpayers should put the assigned FEMA declaration number (3617-EM), in bold letters at the top of Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return PDF or Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return PDF and submit it to the IRS.
Qualified disaster relief payments are generally excluded from gross income, according to the IRS.
The IRS shared the following:
- Eligible individuals or families can get free help preparing their tax return at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) sites. To find the closest free tax help site, use the VITA Locator Tool or call 800-906-9887. Note that normally, VITA sites cannot help claim disaster losses
- To find an AARP Tax-Aide site, use the AARP Site Locator Tool or call 888-227-7669
- Any individual or family whose adjusted gross income (AGI) was $79,000 or less in 2023 can use IRS Free File’s Guided Tax Software at no cost. There are products in English and Spanish
- Another Free File option is Free File Fillable Forms. These are electronic federal tax forms, equivalent to a paper 1040 and are designed for taxpayers who are comfortable filling out IRS tax forms. Anyone, regardless of income, can use this option
- MilTax, a Department of Defense program, offers free return preparation software and electronic filing for federal tax returns and up to three state income tax returns. It’s available for all military members and some veterans, with no income limit
Find more information on the tax relief here.