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Fire Relief Info

Affected by the Power Outages? Tax Relief May Be Available.

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Some tax relief is available for California taxpayers affected by the frequent power shutoffs that plague the state. The CA Franchise Tax Board is advising taxpayers impacted by the safety-related power blackouts that began in October 2019 that they may be eligible for penalty relief if the penalties are due to the shutoffs. Taxpayers in impacted counties may request penalty abatement upon a showing of reasonable cause. For details, go to https://bit.ly/2PzCN9r and arrow down to “Extended deadlines.” If you have questions about how the shut offs may have affected you or your business with concerns related to tax payments or penalties, please contact your Linkenheimer CPA. 

By |November 15th, 2019|business, ca, CA tax, california, Fire Relief Info, individuals, tax deadlines|0 Comments
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FAQs Related to Disaster Recovery and the Fires

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Our CPA’s have compiled a list of 25 frequently asked questions related to fire victims and the recovery process. This document will continue to be updated over time as new questions roll in. If you have any additional questions in the meantime that aren’t answered below, please feel free to contact us at Linkenheimer LLP. We’ll continue to work side by side with all of you during this rebuilding process as we put our great community back together.

Frequently asked questions related to disaster relief for those affected by the fires: 

  1. Can an employer make a payment to an employee for missed time as a result of the fire and have that payment excluded from the employees gross income? No, the payments would be considered taxable wages.
  1. What information is needed to substantiate a casualty loss? To substantiate your loss, you’ll need the following, the type of casualty and date it occurred, proof that you were the owner of the property, or if you were a lessee, that you were contractually liable for the damage, whether a claim for reimbursement exists for which there is a reasonable expectation of recovery and documented […]
By |November 8th, 2019|Fire Relief Info|0 Comments
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Some California Employers in Sonoma and Los Angeles Counties Get Extra Time for Tax Responsibilities

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Some California employers in Sonoma and Los Angeles Counties get extra time for tax responsibilities, says the CA Employment Development Dept. (EDD). Those employers who were directly affected by the Kincade and Tick fires, which began on Oct. 23, may request up to a 60-day extension of time from the EDD to file their state payroll reports and deposit payroll taxes without penalty or interest. To get an extension, a written request from the employer must be received within 60 days from the original delinquent date of the payment or return. Please contact your Linkenheimer CPA with questions or for more info: https://bit.ly/331PygJ

By |November 6th, 2019|business, california, employer, Fire Relief Info, relief, tax, tax deadlines|0 Comments
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Victims of the Pawnee Fire in Lake County Get Tax Relief

Victims of a California wildfire, dubbed the Pawnee Fire in Lake County, get tax relief from the CA Employment Development Dept. (EDD). Employers directly affected by the fire (which started on 6/23/18) may request a 60-day extension to accomplish some tax-related tasks. The tasks include filing state payroll reports and paying state payroll taxes. No penalty or interest will be charged to employers that are granted extra time. A written request for an extension must be received by EDD within 60 days from the original delinquent date for payments and returns.

By |July 12th, 2018|ca, extension, Fire Relief Info, tax|0 Comments
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FTB Issuing Late Filing Penalties, Despite Extension Due to Fires

We have had clients receive  FTB notices with a much larger late filing penalty than it should be, despite being extended due to the fires. We spoke to the FTB, and they said that their system is not picking up the zip codes,  and therefore notices are being issued with the late filing penalty. They suggest calling in and the account will be flagged to auto adjust once they fix their system (IT is updating their coding) but temporarily they are placing holds on those accounts after you call in.  Please be aware of this and contact your Linkenheimer CPA if you get a notice and don’t just pay it, as this may complicate the adjustment process. We will keep you updated and let you know once the FTB has resolved the issue. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact us.

By |March 14th, 2018|california, disaster, Fire Relief Info, ftb|0 Comments
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Reminder: Property Tax Relief Available for Those Impacted by Fires

If your property has been damaged by the recent fires, mudslides, erosion, and flash flooding you may be eligible for property tax relief. In many cases, the damaged property can be reappraised in its current condition, with some taxes refunded to the property owner. Once rebuilt, the property’s pre-damaged value will be restored.

To qualify for property tax relief, you must file a claim with your county assessors’ office within 12 months from the date of damage or destruction. The loss estimate must be at least $10,000 of current market value to qualify.

Owners of eligible property may also apply for deferral of the next property tax installment on the regular secured roll or tax payments on the supplemental roll, without penalties or interest. The disaster must be the result of a Governor-proclaimed state of emergency. When a timely claim for deferral is filed, the next property tax installment payment is deferred without penalty or interest until the county assessor has reassessed the property and a corrected tax bill has been sent to the property owner.
For further information on property tax disaster relief, please see the new Disaster Relief website with helpful […]

By |February 1st, 2018|disaster, Fire Relief Info, property tax|0 Comments
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Payments to Employees Affected by the Local Fires

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During these tragic times businesses may want to help employees affected by the local fires.  The purpose of the following information is to highlight some tax efficient opportunities to help employees affected by the local fires which were declared a qualified disaster by President Trump.  IRC section 139 allow employers to provide qualified disaster relief payments to employees that have incurred unreimbursed expenses due to a qualified disaster (such as the local fires) and have those payments excluded from the employees gross income and included as deductible expense for the business making the payment.   For the payments to be considered qualified disaster relief payments, they should be for either items i. or ii. below, but only to the extent not already covered by insurance.

  1. Reasonable and necessary personal, family, living, or funeral expenses incurred as a result of a disaster. This would include expenses related to loss of use.
  2. Reasonable and necessary expenses incurred for the repair or rehabilitation of a personal residence or repair or replacement of its contents to the extent that the need for such repair, rehabilitation, or replacement is attributable to a qualified disaster.

Other items to point out:

To […]

By |October 19th, 2017|business, Community, disaster, Fire Relief Info, relief, tax|0 Comments
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Tax Relief for Victims of California Wildfires

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As the local fires near containment and our community looks to band together in the rebuilding process, we wanted to send out a brief update the IRS released today providing an overview of the tax relief and extensions they are offering. We will continue to put out pertinent information as it becomes available. Over the next 24 hours, we will also provide a detailed guide related to tax relief for victims of the fires. If you have any questions, please feel free to call or email your Linkenheimer CPA.

The IRS has provided tax relief for the victims of wildfires affecting parts of California. Currently, the IRS is providing relief to seven California counties: Butte, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Sonoma, and Yuba. The tax relief postpones various tax filing and payment deadlines that occur starting on 10/8/17. Affected individuals and businesses now have until 1/31/18 to file returns and pay any taxes that are originally due during the relief period. This includes quarterly estimated tax payments, extended 2016 income tax returns, and quarterly payroll and excise tax returns. The IRS noted that tax payments related to 2016 individual tax returns were originally due […]

By |October 18th, 2017|Community, disaster, Fire Relief Info, irs, relief|0 Comments
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Fire Recovery Business Resources and Comprehensive List of Links for Those Needing Help

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With the fires still burning and information scattered in various spots, we wanted to try and provide our clients, friends and family a comprehensive list of resources that can be shared and referenced easily. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you affected by this horrible disaster. We will continue to post new info as we get it and if you have any questions, feel free to contact us. Stay Safe.

Staying up to date or needing help:

For life-threatening emergencies, dial 911.

The County of Sonoma has county-wide information including shelters, evacuation areas and clinics.

The City of Santa Rosa has information specific to the Santa Rosa area including shelters and evacuation areas.

Please refer to local media such as KSRO.com (1350-AM or 103.5-FM), KZST.com (101.1-FM) or PressDemocrat.com.

Nixle keeps you up-to-date with relevant information from your local public safety departments. Sonoma County Sheriffs Office updates. Santa Rosa Police Department updates. To receive text updates and alerts, text your ZIP code […]

By |October 13th, 2017|Community, disaster, Fire Relief Info, relief|0 Comments
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IRS Gives Tax Relief to Victims of California Wildfires; Extension Filers Have Until Jan. 31 to File

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The following information is from the IRS:

Victims of wildfires ravaging parts of California now have until Jan. 31, 2018, to file certain individual and business tax returns and make certain tax payments, the Internal Revenue Service announced today.

This includes an additional filing extension for taxpayers with valid extensions that run out this coming Monday, Oct. 16.

Currently, the IRS is providing relief to seven California counties: Butte, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Sonoma and Yuba. Individuals and businesses in these localities, as well as firefighters and relief workers who live elsewhere, qualify for the extension. The agency will continue to closely monitor this disaster and may provide other relief to these and other affected localities.

The tax relief postpones various tax filing and payment deadlines that occurred starting on Oct. 8, 2017. As a result, affected individuals and businesses will have until Jan. 31, 2018, to file returns and pay any taxes originally due during this period.

This includes the Jan. 16, 2018 deadline for making quarterly estimated tax payments. For individual tax filers, it also includes 2016 income tax returns that received a tax-filing extension until Oct. 16, 2017. The IRS noted, however, that […]

By |October 13th, 2017|Community, disaster, Fire Relief Info, irs, relief|0 Comments
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