LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Victims of wildfires and high winds that began July 23 in parts of California may qualify for tax relief from the Internal Revenue Service.

The president has declared that a major disaster exists in the state of California.

Following the recent disaster declaration for individual assistance issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the IRS announced that affected taxpayers who reside or have a business in Lake and Shasta Counties may qualify for tax relief.

The declaration permits the IRS to postpone certain deadlines for taxpayers who reside or have a business in the disaster area.

For instance, certain deadlines falling on or after July 23, 2018 and before Nov. 30, 2018, are granted additional time to file through Nov. 30, 2018. This includes taxpayers who had a valid extension to file their 2017 return due to run out on Oct. 15, 2018.

It also includes the quarterly estimated income tax payments due on Sept. 17, 2018, and the quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due on Sept. 30, 2018.

It also includes tax-exempt organizations that operate on a calendar-year basis and had an automatic extension due to run out on Nov. 15, 2018.

In addition, penalties on payroll and excise tax deposits due on or after July 23, 2018, and before Aug. 7, 2018, will be abated as long as the deposits are made by Aug. 7, 2018.

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 that falls within the postponement period, the taxpayer should call the telephone number on the notice to have the IRS abate the penalty.

The IRS automatically identifies taxpayers located in the covered disaster area and applies automatic filing and payment relief. But affected taxpayers who reside or have a business located outside the covered disaster area must call the IRS disaster hotline at 866-562-5227 to request this tax relief.

Affected taxpayers in a federally declared disaster area have the option of claiming disaster-related casualty losses on their federal income tax return for either the year in which the event occurred, or the prior year. See Publication 547 for details.

Individuals may deduct personal property losses that are not covered by insurance or other reimbursements. For details, see Form 4684, Casualties and Thefts and its Instructions.

Affected taxpayers claiming the disaster loss on a 2017 return should put the Disaster Designation, “California, Wildfires and High Winds” at the top of the form so that the IRS can expedite the processing of the refund.

The IRS will waive the usual fees and expedite requests for copies of previously filed tax returns for affected taxpayers. Taxpayers should put the assigned Disaster Designation “California, Wildfires and High Winds” in red ink at the top of Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return, or Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return, as appropriate, and submit it to the IRS.

Affected taxpayers who are contacted by the IRS on a collection or examination matter should explain how the disaster impacts them so that the IRS can provide appropriate consideration to their case.

Taxpayers may download forms and publications from the official IRS Web site, www.irs.gov, or order them by calling 800-829-3676. The IRS toll-free number for general tax questions is 800-829-1040.