December 20, 2021
Candace J. Dixon
Following last week's emergency declarations by FEMA, the IRS is extending tax relief to parts of Illinois and Tennessee affected by storms, tornadoes and flooding that happened starting December 10. Victims have until May 16, 2022, to file various individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.
Relief is available for those who live or have a business in these Illinois counties: Bond, Cass, Coles, Effingham, Fayette, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Pike and Shelby, and these Tennessee counties: Cheatham, Decatur, Dickson, Dyer, Gibson, Lake, Obion, Stewart, and Weakley. The current list is on the IRS' disaster relief page.
Deadlines postponed until May 16, 2022 include:
2021 individual tax returns normally due April 18
Various 2021 business returns normally due March 15 and April 18
2021 IRA contributions
Farmers who forgo making estimated tax payments with returns normally due March 1
Quarterly estimated tax payments normally due January 18 and April 18. Individuals can skip the fourth quarter payment due January 18, 2022 and include it with their 2021 returns.
Quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due January 31 and May 2, 2022.
Penalties on payroll and excise tax deposits due on or after December 10 and before December 27 will be abated as long as deposits are made by December 27, 2021
The IRS disaster relief page has other returns, payments and actions that qualify for the relief.
Individuals and businesses can claim uninsured or unreimbursed disaster-related losses on either their 2021 or 2020 returns, and should write the FEMA declaration numbers on the return:
Illinois - 3577EM
Tennessee - 3576EM