IRS Reminder: Disaster Preparedness Starts With Your Tax Records

The IRS issued a reminder this week urging all taxpayers to protect their tax and financial records before a disaster strikes. Released September 3, 2026, the announcement is part of National Preparedness Month and covers individuals, businesses, and tax professionals.

Why This Matters for Your Business

Floods, wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, and severe storms can damage homes, businesses, and the records you need for insurance claims, federal disaster assistance, and tax filings. Reconstructing financial records after an emergency is time-consuming and sometimes impossible. Taking a few steps now is far simpler than trying to piece things together after the fact.

“Preparedness can make a real difference when a disaster occurs,” said IRS Commissioner Frank J. Bisignano. “All taxpayers, even those in areas not prone to disasters, should take preventive measures to plan for the loss of valuable assets and ensure important financial records are protected.”

Five Steps the IRS Recommends

Keep key documents safe. Store tax returns, birth certificates, Social Security cards, insurance policies, and property titles in waterproof and fireproof containers.
Create electronic copies. Scan paper records and save them to a secure device or cloud storage. Many financial institutions already offer electronic statements you can access anytime.
Document valuable assets. Take photos or videos of your home, business, vehicles, and other property. The IRS offers disaster loss workbooks to help individuals and businesses inventory belongings and equipment room by room.
Review your emergency plans. Update them annually. Ready.gov offers resources and checklists for both individuals and businesses.
Know how to access your tax records. The IRS Online Account for individuals lets you pull transcripts, notices, and other records. If you need copies of previously filed returns or transcripts after a disaster, visit IRS.gov.

Additional Steps for Businesses

If your business uses a payroll service provider, ask whether that provider carries a fiduciary bond. The IRS Business Tax Account lets eligible business taxpayers view account balances, make payments, and check payment history. Businesses that already use the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) can continue using it for federal tax payments.

Disaster Tax Relief: What to Expect

When the IRS grants disaster tax relief, it postpones certain filing and payment deadlines until a specified relief date. The details vary by disaster, so check the relevant IRS disaster announcement to see which deadlines, returns, and payments are covered.

If your address on file with the IRS is in a federally declared disaster area, this relief is typically automatic. You generally don’t need to contact the IRS to receive it.

If you live outside a declared disaster area but your records are needed to meet a deadline in an affected area, call the IRS Special Services hotline at 866-562-5227. Tax professionals assisting clients in affected areas should check IRS.gov for collective disaster relief procedures.

Individuals and businesses with uninsured or unreimbursed disaster losses may be eligible to claim those losses on a federal tax return, subject to applicable tax law requirements. IRS Publication 547 covers the rules for casualty losses and disaster-related deductions.

What BCA Can Help With

BCA helps businesses keep financial and compliance records organized year-round. If you’ve been affected by a disaster or want to review your recordkeeping practices before one happens, we can walk through what you have, identify gaps, and discuss which disaster-related deductions may apply to your situation. Reach out through the Contact page.

This content is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice, and it does not create an advisor-client relationship. Tax rules and IRS guidance change; confirm details with the IRS or a qualified tax advisor before acting on this information.

Educational information only, not licensed legal, tax, or financial advice. We refer to and partner with licensed professionals when personalized advice is needed. Laws change; no warranty of accuracy or timeliness.

Sources

Internal Revenue Service. IR-2026-104SP: Recordatorio del IRS: La preparación ante desastres comienza con los registros tributarios (September 3, 2026). Retrieved from the IRS GovDelivery bulletin service.