Leave-Donation Relief Available for Matthew Victims

The IRS has announced special relief designed to support leave-based donation programs to aid victims of Hurricane Matthew.

Under these programs, employees may forgo vacation, sick or personal leave in exchange for cash payments that their employer makes, before Jan. 1, 2018, to charitable organizations providing relief for Matthew victims. The donated leave will not be included in the income or wages of the employees, and employers will be permitted to deduct the cash payments as business expenses.

This relief is similar to that provided following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014 and this summer’s severe flooding in Louisiana. Details are in Notice 2016-69, posted on IRS.gov.

Information on other relief available to victims of Hurricane Matthew can be found on the disaster relief page of IRS.gov.

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Tax practice
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