From the IRS:
September 19, 2017
WASHINGTON — Hurricane Irma victims in the entire state of Georgia now have until Jan. 31, 2018, to file certain individual and business tax returns and make certain tax payments, the Internal revenue Service announced today.
This includes an additional filing extension for taxpayers with valid extensions that run out on Oct. 16, and businesses with extensions that ran out on Sept. 15. it parallels relief previously granted to Irma victims throughout Florida an din parts of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and Harvey victims in parts of Texas.
For taxpayers in Georgia, this relief postpones various tax filing and payment deadlines that occurred starting on Sept. 7, 2017. As a result, affected individuals and businesses will have until Jan. 31, 2018, to file returns and pay any taxes that were originally due during this period.
This includes the Sept. 15, 2017, and Jan. 16, 2018 deadlines for making quarterly estimated tax payments. For individual tax filers, it also includes 2016 income tax returns that received a tax-filing extension until Oct. 16, 2017. the IRS noted, however, that because tax payments related to these 2016 returns were originally due on April 18,2 017, those payments are not eligible for this relief.
A variety of business tax deadlines are also affected including the Oct. 31 deadline for quarterly payroll and excise tax returns. Businesses with extensions also have the additional time including, among others, calendar-year partnerships whose 2016 extensions ran out on Sept. 15, 2017 and calendar-year tax-exempt organizations whose 2016 extensions run out on Nov. 15, 2017. The disaster relief page has details on other returns, payments and tax-related actions qualifying for the additional time.
In addition, the IRS is waiving late-deposit penalties for federal payroll and excise tax deposits normally due during the first 15 days of the disaster period. Check out the disaster relief page for the time periods that apply to each jurisdiction.
The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in the disaster area. Thus, taxpayers need not contact the IRS to get this relief. However, if an affected taxpayer receives a late filing or late payment penalty notice from the IRS that has an original or extended filing, payment or deposit due date falling within the postponement period, the taxpayer should call the number on the notice to have the penalty abated.
In addition, the IRS will work with any taxpayer who lives outside the disaster area but whose records necessary to meet a deadline occurring during the postponement period are located in the affected area. Taxpayers qualifying for relief who live outside the disaster area need to contact the IRS at 86-562-5227. This also includes workers assisting the relief activities who are affiliated with a recognized government or philanthropic organization. It also includes tax professionals who, due to the disaster, are unable to meet a tax-filing or payment deadline for their clients who live or are located outside the disaster area.
Individuals and businesses who suffered uninsured or reimbursed disaster-related losses can choose to claim them on either the return for the year the loss occurred (in this instance, the 2017 return normally filed next year), or the return for the prior year (2016). See Publication 547 for details.
The tax relief is part of a coordinated federal response to the damage caused by severe storms and flooding and is based on local damage assessments by FEMA. For information on disaster recovery, visit disasterassistance.gov.
For information on government-wide efforts related to Hurricane Irma, visit www.USA.gov/hurricane-irma.
From the GA DOR:
UPDATED 09/19/17 TO INCLUDE ALL GEORGIA COUNTIES
The Georgia Department of Revenue is providing tax relief to the victims of Hurricane IRMA that took place beginning on September 4, 2017, and impacted parts of Georgia, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This announcement coincides with the relief announcement issued by the Internal Revenue Service. The Department is postponing until January 31, 2018, certain deadlines for individuals who reside, and businesses whose principal place of business is located, in the disaster area but the person or business must have been affected by the disaster. The postponement applies to return filing, tax payment, and other time-sensitive acts as specified by the Internal Revenue Service.
This includes taxpayers who had a valid extension to file their 2016 return that was due to run out on Oct. 16, 2017. It also includes the quarterly estimated income tax payments originally due on Sept. 15, 2017, and Jan. 16, 2018, and the quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due on Oct. 31, 2017.
The postponement also includes return filing, tax payment, and other time-sensitive acts related to Georgia tax types not administered by the IRS such as Georgia sales and use tax but does not apply to International Fuel Tax Agreement interest. This includes monthly sales tax returns originally due September 20, 2017, October 20, 2017, November 20, 2017, December 20, 2017, and January 22, 2018. It also includes quarterly sales tax returns due October 20, 2017, and January 22, 2018, as well as annual sales tax returns due January 22, 2018.
Taxpayers who reside in or have a business located in counties as specified by the IRS will qualify for the relief. All counties in Georgia now qualify for relief. If additional areas are identified by the IRS, relief is also provided to those areas. Affected taxpayers filing paper returns should write: “2017 Hurricane IRMA” across the top of any forms submitted to the Department. The relief also applies to taxpayers not in the disaster area but whose records are located in the disaster area. In addition, all relief workers affiliated with a recognized government or philanthropic organization assisting in relief activities in the covered disaster area are eligible for the relief as well as any individual visiting the covered disaster area who was injured or killed as a result of the disaster.
Any taxpayer, whether filing paper or electronic returns, who is assessed a penalty and believes they did not receive due consideration regarding the aforementioned relief, needs assistance, or has questions should contact DOR Headquarters in Atlanta at 1-877-423-6711. This release will be updated as additional information becomes available.
A complete copy of the IRS press releases can be accessed on the Internet here: www.irs.gov.
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