WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today provided taxpayers an extension until Oct. 15, 2014, to decide when to claim disaster losses arising from last September’s flooding.

The extension means that eligible individuals and businesses will now have until Oct. 15 to decide whether to claim these losses on either their 2012 or 2013 returns. Without this extension, these taxpayers would have had to make this choice by the original due date for the 2013 return, usually April 15.

Depending upon various income factors, claiming losses on a 2012 return versus a 2013 return could result in greater tax savings for some taxpayers. The extra time is available, regardless of whether a taxpayer requests a tax-filing extension for either year.

Eligible taxpayers are those who suffered uninsured or unreimbursed losses resulting from severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides in the 20 federally-designated disaster area counties from Sept. 11 to Sept. 30, 2013. The disaster area counties are Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Crowley, Denver, El Paso, Fremont, Gilpin, Jefferson, Lake, Larimer, Lincoln, Logan, Morgan, Pueblo, Sedgwick, Washington and Weld.

Though taxpayers who miss the new Oct. 15 cut-off will lose the option of claiming their losses for 2012, they will still be able to claim them on an original or amended 2013 return. Further details are in Notice 2014-20, posted today on IRS.gov and also scheduled to be in Internal Revenue Bulletin 2014-15, dated April 7, 2014.

For most people, the Affordable Care Act has no effect on the 2013 income tax return they are filing in 2014. However, some people may need to make important decisions by the March 31, 2014 deadline for open enrollment.

Below are five things about the health care law you may need to consider soon.

• Currently Insured – No Change: If you already insured, you do not need to do anything more than continue your insurance.
• Uninsured – Enroll by March 31: The open enrollment period to purchase health care coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace for 2014 runs through March 31, 2014. When you get health insurance through the marketplace, you may be able to get advance payments of the premium tax credit that will immediately help lower your monthly premium. Learn more at HealthCare.gov.
• Premium Tax Credit To Lower Your Monthly Premium: If you get insurance through the Marketplace, you may be eligible to claim the premium tax credit. You can elect to have advance payments of the tax credit sent directly to your insurer during 2014 so that the monthly premium you pay is lower, or wait to claim the credit when you file your tax return in 2015. If you choose to have advance payments sent to your insurer, you will have to reconcile the payments on your 2014 tax return, which will be filed in 2015. If you’re already receiving advance payments of the credit, you need to do nothing at this time unless you have a change in circumstance like a change in income or family size. Learn More.
• Change in Circumstances: If you’re receiving advance payments of the premium tax credit to help pay for your insurance coverage, you should report life changes, such as income, marital status or family size changes, to the Marketplace. Reporting changes will help to make sure you have the right coverage and are getting the proper amount of advance payments of the premium tax credit.
• Individual Shared Responsibility Payment: Starting January 2014, you and your family have been required to have health care coverage or have an exemption from coverage.  Most people already have qualifying health care coverage.  These individuals will not need to do anything more than maintain that coverage throughout 2014. If you can afford coverage but decide not to buy it and remain uninsured, you may have to make an individual shared responsibility payment when you file your 2014 tax return in 2015. Learn More.

More Information

Find out more tax-related provisions of the health care law at IRS.gov/aca.

Find out more about the Health Insurance Marketplace at HealthCare.gov.