House Approves Tax Relief Bill for Disaster Victims

The House of Representatives unanimously passed two significant pieces of legislation aimed at providing tax relief for victims of natural disasters. The 'Disaster Related Extension of Deadlines Act' (H.R. 1491) extends the lookback period for disaster victims to claim tax refunds or credits, passing with a 423-0 vote. Meanwhile, the 'Filing Relief for Natural Disasters Act' (H.R. 517), co-authored by Reps. Judy Chu and David Kustoff, allows the IRS to postpone tax filing deadlines for individuals affected by state-declared disasters without waiting for federal declarations; it passed 388-0. These measures are designed to alleviate the burden on taxpayers who face dual deadlines for state and federal filings due to the timing of disaster declarations. Rep. Chu emphasized the need for such legislation by citing past instances where delays in federal declarations complicated tax relief processes. Both bills are now set to advance to the Senate for consideration.