Taxpayers in disaster areas who have received extensions to file their 2023 tax returns are being urged by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to check when their returns are due.
This may vary according to where taxpayers are based, as 14 states have an earlier deadline—February 3, 2025—and 10 others have a later one—May 1, 2025.
Why It Matters
Millions of Americans recovering from devastating natural disasters that occurred between the spring through the end of 2024 have had extra time to file their 2023 tax returns. This hopefully allowed them to get back on their feet after suffering a significant hit to their finances.
The National Centers for Environmental Information found that the U.S. was struck by 24 confirmed natural disasters as of November 1, 2024, which caused damages exceeding $1 billion each. The year before, officials estimated the total cost of natural disasters striking the country to reach $92.9 billion.
What To Know
The states where taxpayers received extensions last year were hit by extreme weather events such as flooding, tornadoes, landslides, mudslides, hurricanes, and severe storms. The extensions were automatically given as a form of relief to taxpayers in disaster areas designated as such by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
February 3, 2025 marks the deadline for taxpayers to file their 2023 returns in the entire states of Louisiana and Vermont, all of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and parts of Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas and Washington state.
In the entire states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, and parts of Alaska, New Mexico, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, taxpayers will have until May 1, 2025 to file their 2023 returns. Taxpayers in these states will also need to file their 2024 returns and pay any tax due by May 1, 2025.
When Does Tax Season Start in 2025
Tax season traditionally starts around the end of January; last year, for example, it started on January 29. This year's deadline for Americans to file their 2024 tax returns is April 15, as it's the IRS tradition. There are no holidays interfering with the date this year.
Who Qualifies for $1,400 IRS Stimulus Checks?
Eligible taxpayers who did not claim their Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) during the pandemic can access a one-time $1,400 stimulus payment as part of the Recovery Rebate Credit program for 2024, according to the IRS. To qualify for the stimulus payment, you must have either filed, or plan to file, your 2021 tax return before April 15, 2025 and missed one or more EIPs during the pandemic.
The IRS estimates that approximately 1 million people are eligible to receive the one-time payment.
What's Next
The tax relief offered by the IRS for disaster-area taxpayers postponed filings and payment deadlines that occurred between spring and the end of 2024. File returns and any taxes that were originally due during this period will have to be paid by either February 3 or May 1 in the states affected.
For those who miss a filing deadline, there is a standard penalty of 5 percent of the tax due for every month the return is late, up to 25 percent. Those who fail to pay any taxes due face a smaller penalty of 0.5 percent of the tax owed for each month or part of the month that the tax remains unpaid, up to 25 percent.
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