The President Declares “Major Disaster” for South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

​Parts of South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia have been declared disaster areas. Accordingly, individuals and businesses affected in those areas may be eligible to receive assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Additionally, affected parties may be eligible for tax relief and deduction in current and future years.

South Carolina - Federal funding is now available to state and eligible tribal and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work in Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Jasper, Marion, and Williamsburg counties.

North Carolina – Federal funding is available for survivors in Beaufort, Bladen, Columbus, Cumberland, Edgecombe, Hoke, Lenoir, Nash, Pitt, and Robeson Counties.

Florida - Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for assistance for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities damaged by Hurricane Matthew in Brevard, Duval, Flagler, Indian River, Nassau, St. Johns, St. Lucie and Volusia counties for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program.

Georgia - Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for assistance for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities damaged by Hurricane Matthew in Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Glynn, Liberty, and McIntosh Counties for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program.

Getting Assistance from FEMA
Affected individuals, including homeowners, renters, and business owners, in the above designated counties who suffered loss or damages due to Hurricane Matthew may register for assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by downloading the FEMA mobile app, or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). For those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), the number is also 1-800-621-3362.  For people using TTY, the number is 1-800-462-7585.

Type of Assistance
Grant assistance provided by FEMA for homeowners and renters can include funds to help with rent, temporary housing and home repairs to their primary residences, as well as other serious disaster-related needs, such as personal and necessary items, moving and storage expenses, transportation,  medical and dental expenses, or funeral and burial and reinternment costs caused by the disaster. Other relief programs include crisis counseling and legal assistance.

Tax Relief
The affected individuals or entities may also qualify for postponement of certain deadlines for taxpayers who reside or have a business in the disaster areas. For instance, certain deadlines falling on or after October 4, 2016, and on or before March 15, 2017 have been postponed to March 15, 2017.  This includes the January 17, 2017 deadline for making quarterly estimated tax payments and the 2015 individual returns on extension to October 17. Also included are the Oct 31 and Jan 31 deadlines for quarterly payroll and excise tax returns.
 
The IRS is waiving the failure-to-deposit penalties for employment and excise tax deposits due on or after October 4, as long as the deposits were made by October 19th, 2016.

Note - 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.