The IRS has announced additional tax relief, further extending certain tax deadlines from Jan 31 until June 29, 2018, for the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Victims of Hurricane Maria, which took place on Sept. 16, 2017, in parts of U.S. Virgin Islands may qualify for tax relief from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The president has declared that a major disaster exists in the Territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Following the recent disaster declaration issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the IRS announced today that affected taxpayers in U.S. Virgin Islands will receive tax relief.
Individuals who reside or have a business on the Islands of St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas 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 Sept. 16, 2017, and before Jan. 31, 2018, are granted additional time to file through Jan. 31, 2018. With some exceptions, many of these deadlines were postponed by the IRS following the disaster declaration for Hurricane Irma, (IRS news release VI-2017-01, Tax Relief for Victims of Hurricane Irma in U.S. Virgin Islands).
This includes taxpayers who had a valid extension to file their 2016 return that was due to run out on Oct. 16, 2017. It also includes the quarterly estimated income tax payment originally due on Jan. 16, 2018, and the quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due on Oct. 31. 2017. Tax-exempt organizations that operate on a calendar-year basis and had an automatic extension due to run out on Nov. 15, 2017 are also included.
The tax deposit penalty relief period for Hurricane Irma overlaps the period for Hurricane Maria. For that reason, penalties on payroll and excise tax deposits due on or after Sept. 5, 2017, and before Oct. 2, 2017, will now be abated as long as the deposits are made by Oct. 2, 2017.
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.
For more details, go to https://www.irs.gov/es/newsroom/tax-relief-for-victims-of-hurricane-maria-in-us-virgin-islands
