IRS extends tax deadline to May 1 for Washington storm victims

The Internal Revenue Service announced tax relief for individuals and businesses in Washington state affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides that began Dec. 9.

Affected individuals and businesses now have until May 1, 2026, to file various federal tax returns and make tax payments that were originally due on or after Dec. 9, according to an IRS news release. The extension applies to individual income tax returns, deadlines for 2025 contributions to individual retirement accounts and health savings accounts for eligible taxpayers, as well as certain quarterly payroll and excise tax returns.

Taxpayers who live or operate a business in Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Kittitas, Lewis, Mason, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Whatcom and Yakima counties qualify for relief under Section 7508A.

The IRS said affected taxpayers who receive a late-filing or late-payment penalty notice for obligations due during the postponement period should call the telephone number listed on the notice to request penalty abatement.

Unless specifically listed in Revenue Procedure 2018-58, the postponement does not apply to information returns in the W-2, 1094, 1095, 1097, 1098 or 1099 series; Forms 1042-S, 3921, 3922 or 8027; or to employment and excise tax deposits, according to the IRS. However, penalties for deposits due on or after Dec. 9, 2025, and before Dec. 29, 2025, will be abated if the deposits are made by Dec. 29, 2025.

Taxpayers may call the IRS Special Services toll-free number at 866-562-5227 to request relief. Tax practitioners who maintain records for 10 or more affected clients are advised to request assistance through bulk practitioner disaster relief procedures.

Eligible individuals and families may also receive free tax preparation assistance through Volunteer Income Tax Assistance or Tax Counseling for the Elderly sites. To find a location, taxpayers can use the VITA Locator Tool or call 800-906-9887. The IRS noted that VITA sites generally cannot assist with claiming disaster losses.

Additional free options include Free File Fillable Forms and MilTax, a Department of Defense program that provides free tax preparation and electronic filing for military members and some veterans. To locate an AARP Tax-Aide site, taxpayers can use the AARP Site Locator Tool or call 888-227-7669.