San Antonio residents may qualify for an extended tax-payment deadline after the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced relief for individuals and businesses affected by recent severe storms. Even folks who didn’t experience property damage may qualify.
Is the IRS really offering tax relief?
Yes. The IRS announced that certain Texas taxpayers now have until February 1, 2027, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and submit tax payments. This follows a letter Governor Greg Abbott sent to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, asking for assistance for those affected by heavy rain and flooding in the summer.
Previously, on Tuesday, July 14, Abbott issued a state disaster proclamation covering more than 50 counties.
Who qualifies for IRS relief?
According to the IRS, people, households, and businesses (including tax-exempt organizations) that live in the following counties qualify for tax relief:
- Atascosa, Austin, Bandera, Bastrop, Bexar, Blanco, Brazoria, Brewster, Burnet, Caldwell, Colorado, Comal, Crockett, DeWitt, Dimmit, Edwards, Fayette, Fort Bend, Frio, Galveston, Gillespie, Goliad, Gonzales, Grimes, Guadalupe, Harris, Hays, Jackson, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, La Salle, Lavaca, Lee, Live Oak, Llano, Mason, Matagorda, Maverick, McMullen, Medina, Menard, Mitchell, Pecos, Real, Schleicher, Sutton, Terrell, Travis, Uvalde, Val Verde, Victoria, Waller, Washington, Webb, Wharton, Williamson, Wilson, Zapata, and Zavala.
Other groups that qualify include:
- Relief workers affiliated with a recognized government or philanthropic organization that assisted in relief activities in the covered disaster area.
- Any individuals who visited the covered disaster area who were killed or injured as a result of the disaster.
The IRS says that it is automatically identifying taxpayers in the covered disaster area and applying filing and payment relief. However, “affected taxpayers who reside or have a business located outside the covered disaster area should call the IRS Special Services toll-free number at 866-562-5227 to request this tax relief.”
What is the 2026 economic relief for affected Texas families?
It means the IRS is postponing certain tax-filing and tax-payment deadlines for taxpayers who reside or have a business in the disaster area. Here is what is postponed until February 1, 2027.
- Most federal tax returns that had an original or extended due date on or after July 14, 2026, and January 31, 2026.
- Estimated income tax payments originally due on or after July 14, 2026; Eligible taxpayers won’t receive penalties for not paying estimated tax installments as long as they pay them on or before February 1, 2027.
- Quarterly payroll and certain excise tax returns normally due on July 31, 2026, and November 2, 2026.
Here is what is not postponed:
- Payments related to the 2025 individual income tax return were due on April 15, 2026, and are not eligible for this relief.
Any affected Texan who is mistakenly issued a late filing or late payment penalty notice from the IRS but has an original filing, payment, or deposit due date that falls within the postponement period should call the phone number on the message to have the IRS abate the penalty…