Top line
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has extended the tax filing deadline for residents of states affected by the recent devastating hurricane.
Biden approved federal aid for property damage after Arkansas was devastated by tornadoes on Friday.
Basic facts
In an announcement Monday, the IRS added Arkansas to a growing list of states where residents will have more time to file their taxes as tornadoes ravaged the state over the past week.
The extension, which gives taxpayers until July 31, applies to people who live in parts of the state designated as disaster areas by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), including Cross, Lonoke and Pulaski counties. :
The IRS said it will work with taxpayers outside of designated emergency areas and may add other affected counties to its list of qualifying counties.
Since late February, the agency has extended tax deadlines for other states with residents affected by severe storms, including Alabama, California, Georgia, Mississippi and New York.
Basic background
On Monday, the Biden administration approved a disaster declaration for Arkansas that makes federal funding available for affected counties. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property loss and assistance for business owners.
Big Number
32. That’s the current death toll reported Sunday from devastating storms and tornadoes in Arkansas and Tennessee on Friday. The Arkansas storms come more than a week after tornadoes killed more than 20 people in parts of Mississippi, extending the IRS deadline for those residents to the end of July as well.
Further reading
Tornado death toll rises to 32 in Midwest and South (CNN)
A large tornado hits Little Rock. Major damage reported (Forbes)