DON'T MISS THE APRIL 15TH DEADLINE TO FILE AND AMENDED RETURN

 DON'T MISS THE APRIL 15TH DEADLINE TO FILE AND AMENDED RETURN

There were 59 federal disaster area declarations in 2009 that affected 30 states and American Samoa. You can view the list and get details of each declaration at "http://www.fema.gov/news/disaster_totals_annual.fema."

If you have a deductible loss related to one of these declaration, you can claim the loss on either your 2009 or 2008 tax return. By now your 2008 return should bave been filed, so yu you would claim the loss for 2008 on an amended return for that yar.

There is a looming deadline for making that election. April 15, 2010 is the deadline.

After that date you will only be able to claim the loss on your 2009 return.

Tehre are no limitations on who can make the election to deduction the disaster loss on either the 2008 or 2009 return, except that it must be one of the 59 disasters listed on the FEMA website.

If you need assistance in making the claimed deduction, IRS pub 547 can be useful.

If you still need help - send me an email.