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Georgia Grants Tax Relief to September Storm Victims

The Georgia Department of Revenue has extended tax relief related to the severe storms and flooding that occurred on September 18, 2009. The relief applies the same as the relief announcement issued by IRS.

Relief. Georgia tax filing deadlines for taxpayers who reside or have a business in the disaster area are postponed until December 17, 2009. The relief also applies to taxpayers not residing in the covered area but whose books, records, or tax professionals' offices are in the disaster area, as well as relief workers assisting in the affected areas. Taxpayers requesting relief should write ““September 2009 Storms” across the top of any forms submitted to the Department.

The relief applies in the following : Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett, Heard, Newton, Paulding, Rockdale, Stephens, and Walker.

Disaster victims in Georgia qualify for tax relief

The IRS has announced that victims of the recent severe storms and flooding in counties of Georgia that are designated as federal disaster areas qualifying for individual assistance have more time to make tax payments and file returns. Only taxpayers considered to be affected taxpayers are eligible for the postponement of time. Affected taxpayers include:

• Individuals whose principal residence is located in the counties designated as disaster areas, or whose tax records necessary to meet a filing or payment deadline are located in a covered disaster area,
• Business entities whose principal place of business is located in the counties designated as disaster areas, or whose tax records necessary to meet a filing or payment deadline are located in a covered disaster area,
• Individuals who are a relief worker assisting in a covered disaster area, regardless of whether affiliated with recognized government or philanthropic organizations,
• Any individual whose principal residence, and any business entity whose principal place of business, is not located in a covered disaster area, but whose records necessary to meet a filing or payment deadline are maintained in a covered disaster area,
• Any estate or trust that has tax records necessary to meet a filing or payment deadline in a covered disaster area, and
• Any spouse of an affected taxpayer, solely with regard to a joint return of the husband and wife.

The following counties are in a federal disaster area qualifying for individual assistance because of severe storms and flooding on Sept. 18, 2009: Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett, Heard, Newton, Paulding, Rockdale, Stephens and Walker counties. For these Georgia counties, the extended filing date is Dec. 17, 2009.

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