In the event of a presidentially declared disaster, the IRS will postpone certain retirement plan and IRA deadlines for affected taxpayers. Most presidentially declared disasters are severe storms (such as tornadoes and hurricanes), but they may also be wildfires, flooding or earthquakes. Affected taxpayers are generally people who live in or have a business in an area directly impacted by the disaster. Soon after a disaster is declared, the IRS will issue a news release describing the: type of relief (which deadlines are being postponed), taxpayers eligible for relief, and duration of the relief period. Revenue Procedure 2018-58, section 8, lists the retirement plan and IRA deadlines that the IRS may postpone because of a disaster. The IRS may postpone all or only certain deadlines listed in Revenue Procedure 2018-58 based on when the disaster occurred and its severity as well as other factors. Unless the news release for a particular disaster limits the relief, all the deadlines listed in Revenue Procedure 2018-58 will be postponed. For example, the IRS may: extend the 60-day period for plan participants to deposit eligible rollover distributions to another qualified plan or IRA, or extend the time for a qualified plan to make a required minimum distribution. See Tax Relief in Disaster Situations for the latest disaster-related new releases and related guidance.
