Filing Relief for Natural Disasters Act

This legislation proposes to give the Internal Revenue Service the authority to postpone federal tax deadlines for individuals and businesses affected by disasters declared at the state level. Currently, the IRS typically only grants such relief following a federally declared disaster. Under this bill, a governor could submit a written request for tax relief if their state or territory experiences a significant natural catastrophe, fire, flood, or explosion that warrants a deadline extension.

Additionally, the bill aims to increase the amount of time taxpayers have to file or pay when a disaster occurs. For relief workers, injured individuals, and those whose homes or businesses are located in disaster areas, the current automatic 60-day extension would be doubled to 120 days. This would apply to various federal tax requirements, including filing returns, paying taxes, and making contributions to retirement plans.

If enacted, this change would provide more flexibility for citizens recovering from local emergencies that may not reach the threshold of a federal disaster declaration. It would ensure that taxpayers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories have more time to manage their financial obligations while dealing with the immediate aftermath of a disaster.