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Help Cover Your Losses by Amending Your Tax Return
If you have a casualty loss from a disaster in a Presidentially declared disaster area, you may be able to amend your previous year’s tax return to reflect that loss. For example, if you suffered property damage as a result of disaster this year, you may be able to amend last year’s tax return. By claiming a qualifying loss on a previous year's tax return, you can reduce the tax for that year, which can result in, or increase the amount of, a refund.
If you choose to deduct your loss on an amended return, include a statement stating you are making that choice. The statement can be made on the return or can be filed with the return. The statement should specify the date or dates of the disaster and the city, town, county and state where the damaged or destroyed property was located at the time of the disaster.
Before amending a tax return, take the time to determine whether it is financially wiser to deduct the losses from your previous year’s or current year’s tax return. Also, keep in mind that casualty losses are not deductible on New Jersey income tax returns since New Jersey is a gross income tax state, meaning taxpayers are taxed on their gross income with no itemized deductions allowed.
For more information, see
IRS Publication 547 - Casualties, Disasters and Thefts
This Disaster Recovery Guide has been compiled from a variety of sources. It is intended as a source book and guide only. It is not a substitute for professional judgment or for research into authoritative professional literature. Although this manual is not authoritative, it will help guide you to authoritative sources.
Material contained within this guide should be augmented by, and used in accordance with, a certified public accountant's professional judgment. Your CPA can properly apply the tax laws and regulations to the facts and circumstances of your particular situation. For help with locating a CPA, visit www.findacpa.org.
The New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants is not responsible for any claims arising as a result of this information or its usage.
This guide was updated in April 2005. Future users of this material are cautioned that some portions, particularly tax-related information, may become outdated.
July 12, 2003
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