Deadline for taxes extended due to quake

THE OLYMPIAN

The Internal Revenue Service offered up good news for quake-rattled residents Wednesday.

Because of damage caused by the Feb. 28 Nisqually Earthquake, the IRS granted an automatic extension to file returns and pay taxes.

Now, the federal tax deadline will be April 30 for residents of Thurston, Mason, Lewis, Grays Harbor, King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties.

Returns, when filed, should be labeled in red across the top margin, "Washington State Earthquake."

Businesses whose returns were due March 15 or April 15 also have until April 30 to file returns.

The automatic extension does not apply to deposit of employment trust funds, the agency said.

Other tax relief the IRS is offering the area:

-User fees will be waived for requests of photocopies of tax returns and all requests from taxpayers in the impacted areas will be expedited.

-Correspondence audits and civil enforcement actions, except for cases with pending statutes, are suspended for 60 days as of Feb. 28.

-Taxpayers may be able to claim casualty losses on their 2000 or 2001 returns, enabling them to receive possible refunds for either year.

Taxpayers can call the IRS's toll-free line at (800) 829-1040 with questions or visit the agency's Web site (www.irs.gov.

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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