IRS approves tax relief for state fire victims

Thursday, January 19th 2006, 2:24 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The Internal Revenue Service Thursday approved special programs intended to help Oklahoma taxpayers who live in areas declared a disaster because of wildfires.

Taxpayers who had to file returns or pay taxes on or after December first now have until March tenth. This delay does NOT affect the W2, 1098, 1099 of 5498 series returns.

Residents in the disaster areas have the choice of claiming disaster-related losses on either this year's or last year's returns.

The IRS also says it will waive fees and expedite requests for copies of previous tax returns that may be needed to apply for benefits.

The president's disaster declaration involves 12 Oklahoma counties. They are Canadian, Cotton, Garvin, Hughes, Lincoln, Logan, Mayes, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Pottawatomie, Seminole and Stephens.