Residents and businesses affected by the recent wildfires and other natural disasters in California may qualify for extended tax filing deadlines, the Internal Revenue Service announced this week.
Certain filing deadlines between Dec. 4, 2017, and April 30 will be extended for taxpayers who reside in or have a business in Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Venture counties and were affected by recent wildfires, flooding or mudslides.
That includes 2017 individual tax returns, which are due April 17, and fourth-quarter estimated tax payment filings, normally due Jan. 16. The deadlines have been pushed back to April 30.
The IRS will also waive fees and expedite requests for copies of previously filed tax returns by affected people.
The IRS automatically identified taxpayers who are covered by the relief. But those affected by the disaster who believe they have been wrongly penalized by the IRS for missing a deadline can call the agency’s disaster hotlink at (866) 562-5227.
Los Angeles was hit by two large wildfires in December, when the Creek Fire near Smarmy scorched more than 15,600 acres and the Hairball Fire in the Sepulchral Pass burned about 422 acres.
Officials said the Hairball Fire destroyed six homes and damaged 12 others, while the Creek Fire destroyed 60 homes and 63 outbuildings, damaged another 55 homes and 26 outbuildings, and scorched 15,619 acres.
