California 2025 tax filers: IRS extends filing and payment deadline to November 16 due to severe flooding
That's right folks, the rain gods are back with a vengeance and so is the IRS with some actual good news for once! After the absolutely epic storms we've been dealing with here in California these past couple months, the IRS just announced they're pushing our tax deadlines all the way to November 16, 2025. I remember last spring when they initially moved our deadlines to October after the first round of flooding, but given how much worse things got with those landslides in March, they've now given us another whole month. This applies to pretty much the entire state - 55 out of 58 counties qualify (everyone except Lassen, Modoc and Shasta). So if you're like me and have been watching your tax paperwork float away while trying to salvage your living room furniture, at least we've got until November 16th to get our 2024 returns filed and any tax payments made. I checked the FEMA declarations and there were actually three separate disaster declarations for all the chaos this winter and spring - covering the storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides. Anyone else dealing with this mess? At least we got this one break I guess...
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Roger Romero
The extension applies specifically to 2024 tax returns that were originally due April 15, 2025. This isn't just for individual filers - it also covers businesses, tax-exempt organizations, and anyone else who had filing or payment deadlines between January 2025 and the new November date. A few important details to keep in mind: This extension automatically applies to everyone in those 55 counties - you don't need to call the IRS or file any special forms to request it. The IRS computer systems are programmed to recognize your address and automatically provide the relief. Also worth noting is that this extension applies not just to the regular filing deadline, but also to quarterly estimated tax payments that would have been due in April and June 2025, as well as quarterly payroll tax returns normally due in April and July.
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Anna Kerber
•Does this mean I don't have to file for an extension separately? I'm in Alameda County and my house got some water damage, but I wasn't sure if I needed to fill out any paperwork to get more time. Also, what about the state taxes? Does California FTB automatically extend their deadlines too or do I need to check with them separately?
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Roger Romero
•You don't need to file for an extension separately if you're in one of the affected 55 counties. The IRS automatically recognizes your location based on your tax return address and applies the extension without any additional paperwork. For California state taxes, the FTB typically aligns with IRS disaster relief extensions, but it's always good practice to verify directly with the California Franchise Tax Board. They usually post this information on their website, and in past disaster situations, they've matched the federal extensions.
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Niko Ramsey
After struggling through my taxes last year with all the flood damage documentation, I finally found a tool that made dealing with disaster-related tax issues so much easier. I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out how to properly document my losses when someone recommended https://taxr.ai to me. It basically analyzed all my disaster documentation and receipts (which were a complete mess), then organized everything according to IRS disaster relief guidelines. It even highlighted which expenses qualified for casualty loss deductions and which didn't. The best part was it helped me understand exactly how to coordinate the extension periods with my specific situation in Sonoma County. I'm definitely using it again this year since we got hit again with these new storms. It's pretty amazing how much clearer everything becomes when you have the right guidance.
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Seraphina Delan
•How does it actually work with documenting water damage? My garage was completely flooded and I lost a bunch of stuff. Do I need to have photos of everything before and after or can I just list what was damaged with approximate values?
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Jabari-Jo
•I'm skeptical about these tax tools. Most of them just ask the same questions as regular tax software but charge extra. Does it actually do anything special for disaster situations that something like TurboTax doesn't already cover?
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Niko Ramsey
•It works by having you upload photos of the damage along with any receipts you might have saved. You don't necessarily need before/after photos of everything, but having some documentation of the damage definitely helps. The system helps you create reasonable valuations based on descriptions if you don't have exact figures. The difference from regular tax software is that it's specifically designed for disaster situations. Unlike TurboTax which covers general tax filing, this tool focuses exclusively on disaster documentation and casualty loss calculations. It provides specific guidance on FEMA categories, helps identify which losses qualify under disaster-specific tax rules, and connects directly to local disaster declaration information - things regular tax software typically doesn't address in detail.
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Jabari-Jo
I was really skeptical about special tax tools until I tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here. My situation was complicated - part of my rental property flooded in Ventura County, and I wasn't sure how to handle the repairs vs. improvements distinction for tax purposes. The system actually guided me through documenting everything properly and helped me understand what would qualify as a casualty loss versus a repair expense versus a capital improvement. It even found some deductions I would have missed related to temporary housing expenses while repairs were being done. What impressed me most was how it organized everything according to IRS disaster relief provisions - way more thorough than the general "disaster" section in my regular tax software. Definitely worth it for anyone dealing with these California floods.
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Kristin Frank
Anyone else having trouble even reaching the IRS to ask questions about this extension? I've been trying to call them for three days to clarify some questions about my specific situation (self-employed, work from home, partial property damage). After being on hold for literally 2+ hours each time, I finally found https://claimyr.com and tried their service. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - basically they hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you when an agent is about to answer. Got a call back in about an hour and finally spoke to someone who confirmed that even though only part of my house was damaged, I still qualify for the full extension since I'm in one of the 55 counties. They also explained exactly how to document my home office deduction with the partial damage.
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Micah Trail
•Wait, so this service just calls the IRS for you? How does that even work? I thought the IRS phone system was completely locked down and you had to go through the whole menu system yourself.
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Nia Watson
•This sounds like BS honestly. If it was that easy to get through to the IRS everyone would be doing it. I've been trying for WEEKS and keep getting disconnected. I doubt some service can magically get through when millions of people can't.
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Kristin Frank
•The service uses an automated system that navigates through the IRS phone menus and waits in the queue for you. It's not that it has any special access - it's just taking over the tedious part of waiting on hold for hours. I was skeptical too, but it actually works. They don't talk to the IRS for you - they just hold your place in line. When an agent is about to pick up, they call you and connect you directly to the IRS agent. I was connected to a real IRS person and got all my questions answered about how the disaster extension applies to my specific situation with partial property damage.
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Nia Watson
I have to eat my words about that Claimyr service. After posting my skeptical comment, I was still desperate to talk to someone at the IRS about applying casualty losses across multiple tax years (had damage in both 2024 and 2025). Figured what the hell, might as well try it since nothing else was working. Within 90 minutes I got a call back and was connected to an actual IRS agent who explained everything about how to handle multiple disaster claims across different tax years. They confirmed I can use the November deadline for both my 2024 return and my estimated payments for 2025. Also cleared up my confusion about whether to claim some losses in 2024 vs 2025 (turns out you can choose which year works better for your tax situation in certain cases). Definitely changed my mind about whether it's possible to actually reach the IRS!
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Alberto Souchard
Has anyone from the three excluded counties (Lassen, Modoc, Shasta) had any luck getting extensions anyway? My parents live right on the border of Shasta and Trinity counties, and their property got damaged too, but technically their mailing address puts them in Shasta which doesn't qualify. Seems really unfair since the storm didn't exactly stop at the county line.
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Katherine Shultz
•You might want to check if they qualify for a regular extension (Form 4868) even if they don't get the automatic disaster relief. That would at least give them until October 15th to file, though they'd still need to pay any taxes owed by the April deadline to avoid penalties. Another option might be to contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service - they sometimes can help with these boundary cases where someone is affected but technically outside the disaster zone.
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Alberto Souchard
•Thanks for the advice about Form 4868. I already suggested that to them, but the issue is they'd still need to pay by April which is tough since they're using their savings for repairs. I hadn't thought about the Taxpayer Advocate Service though - that's a great idea. I'll definitely look into that for them. Appreciate the suggestion!
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Marcus Marsh
Does anyone know if we can file normally (earlier than November) if we want to? My house was barely affected (just some minor leaking) and I'm actually expecting a pretty big refund this year. I'm in Santa Barbara County which is covered by the extension, but I'd rather get my refund sooner if possible.
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Hailey O'Leary
•Yes, you can absolutely file earlier! The November date is just the deadline - you can file anytime before then. If you're getting a refund, it definitely makes sense to file as soon as you're ready.
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Cedric Chung
One important thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you make estimated tax payments, this extension also applies to those. So the Q1 and Q2 2025 estimated payments that would normally be due April 15 and June 15 are now also extended to November 16. This was a huge relief for me since my small business got hit hard by the flooding and cash flow has been a nightmare. Being able to delay those estimated payments while we rebuild is actually making a significant difference.
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Talia Klein
•Does anyone know if we'll get hit with an underpayment penalty if we don't make any estimated payments until November? Usually you're supposed to pay quarterly but this situation seems different.
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Cedric Chung
•Based on what I learned from the IRS when I called, you won't face underpayment penalties for delaying these specific estimated payments until November 16th. The disaster relief specifically waives penalties for these delayed payments. However, it's important to note that this only applies to the specific payment deadlines that fall within the relief period. Future estimated payments beyond this period would still follow the regular schedule and penalty rules.
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