News Release - Updated September 30, 2004
September 21 , 2004 - Columbus,
Ohio - Disaster Extension Gives
Extra Time for Taxes (Ohioans Affected by Recent
Hurricanes Get 45 Extra Days)
September 30, 2004 – UPDATE : Additional Ohio counties –
Athens, Meigs, Gallia, Mahoning, and Vinton – have been
designated as federal disaster areas in the wake of recent
storms. Taxpayers in these counties, as well as Ohio
taxpayers in counties in other states so designated, are also
eligible for tax relief in the form of a 45-day extension to
file and pay taxes. To find out if a specific county in any
state is eligible, visit the Federal Emergency Management
Agency web site at http://fema.gov/ or contact the agency
at 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362).
Columbus -- Ohio residents and Ohio
businesses suffering losses from storms related to recent
hurricanes can get tax relief during the clean-up period
through an extension of up to 45 days to file and pay Ohio
taxes.
Eligible residents required to make any Ohio tax payment or
required to file any Ohio tax or Ohio tax report between
September 15 and October 31 now have until November 1 to pay
and file without incurring any penalty or additional charges.
Interest is not subject to waiver.
This extension is available for residents and businesses in
the 15 counties that were declared federal disaster areas
following flooding this past weekend. The extension also
applies to residents and businesses residing in a county in
another state that is also a federally-declared disaster area
as a result of the recent hurricanes and related storms.
Counties in Ohio affected by the declaration are:
- Belmont
- Carroll
- Columbiana
- Guernsey
- Harrison
- Jefferson
- Monroe
- Morgan
- Muskingum
- Noble
- Perry
- Stark
- Trumbull
- Tuscarawas
- Washington
Other states with counties declared as federal disaster areas
in the wake of the recent hurricanes and related storms:
- Alabama
- Florida
- Georgia
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- West Virginia
Individuals and businesses qualifying for the extension must,
as of September 15, reside in or operate a business in a
county that has been declared a federal disaster area due to
the most recent storms. Qualifying counties are listed on the
Federal Emergency Management Agency web site at fema.gov.
Additional information is available from the agency at
1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362).
Individuals and businesses qualifying for the extension do
not have to file any special form. Those who are qualified
must simply write or type, in bold letters, “Disaster Relief”
across the top of their payment check, return, or report at
the time it is filed. The Ohio Department of Taxation will
credit their tax account accordingly. If the Department
inadvertently issues a bill, taxpayers must write “Disaster
Relief” in bold letters and return the billing.
The Ohio Department of Taxation is offering this tax
extension program to help storm victims rebuild their lives
and communities.
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(For more information, contact Gary Gudmundson, ODT
Communications Director, or Mike McKinney, Public Information
Officer, at 614-644-6903.)