IRS help for flood victims

Stonington, Conn. (WTNH) - If you faced with damages from all the recent flooding, you are not alone and the IRS knows it.

In fact, there is help out there for you when it comes to filing your taxes, but you need to do more than just file an extension.

For folks dealing with flood damage right now having the tax return deadline less than a week away can add even more stress but there is help out there and it goes beyond an extention. "The best advice we can give you and what other employees give us that work in Florida and such is wait until you have all your information until you do something," said Steve Shaw a Stonington resident and a victim of the recent flooding.

Steve Shaw is looking for help. His entire basement was flooded wiping out his daughter's bedroom and his home office. "I've gone 8 days 8, 9 days trying to keep the mold away and it's devastating it's a total loss," explained Shaw.

However, Shaw may be able to recoup some of his losses. In addition to filing for a six month extension he could get a tax break because of the damages he suffered. That means extra money in his pocket and he doesn't have to wait to file his losses with his 2010 return next year if Connecticut is declared a disaster area. "They can file it on the return that they just filed by filing and amended return so they can hopefully get some money back or they can just file it at the end of the year when the next return is do," said Steve Lee of the Internal Revenue Service.

"A lot of people don't know what they're options and they should ask ask questions because nobody knows," said Shaw. "People are so tied up with their own little dealings and they don't know there's help out there."

Just a few came to the human services offices in Stonington to learn about the IRS help with their losses and the ones we spoke to say they're glad they did. "Oh they were fantastic," exclaimed North Stonington resident Catherine Lewis-Meyers. "You know people always complain about the IRS these people here are absolutely wonderful they gave me literature they gave me advice."

If you weren't able to get to Stonington on Friday these forms will be available here at the human services department and they are also available to folks in other affected towns. More information can also be found at IRS.gov.