As Tax Day draws nearer, I’ve had a number of questions about Hurricane Harvey and casualty loss. Today, I’ll walk you through what you need to file Form 4684 for casualty loss deductions with your 2017 tax return.

Form 4684, Casualties and Thefts was designed especially for storms like Hurricane Harvey. In 2017, you will be able to take an itemized deduction by completing the form and attaching it to your Form 1040. Also, it’s important to know that twenty counties along the Texas Gulf Coast, including Harris County, were Presidentially Declared Disaster Areas. Once the President declares an area a Presidentially Declared Disaster Area, then the IRS can administratively make temporary changes to the law, such as extending the due dates of returns and estimated tax payments, and they can lift the 10% of AGI threshold for casualty losses. And that is what they did. If your home was flooded and your personal possessions were lost in the flood, then you need to complete Form 4684.

Here is what you will need to complete the form:

• The cost or basis of your home
• Your insurance or other reimbursement (ie: FEMA)
• Your fair market value before the storm
• Your fair market value after the storm

This is the information you will need to complete your casualty loss deduction. If you struggle with any of these items, such as the FMV of your home after the storm, don’t hesitate to ask your realtor or real estate appraiser, or contact the Harris County Appraisal District. If you need any help with any of this, then please give me a call.

That is all today. I look forward to visiting with you next week. In the meantime, please let me know if you have any questions — you can call my office at (713) 785-8939 or leave a comment on this post to get in touch.