Oregon Dept. of Revenue outlines relief for wildfire victims

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon Department of Revenue said Tuesday it will provide relief to victims of Oregon wildfires and straight-line winds.

Impacted individuals and households who reside or have a business located in Clackamas, Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, and Marion counties are eligible for the relief. Taxpayers in localities added later to the individual assistance disaster areas, as designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will be eligible to receive the same relief.

If you are a victim of Oregon wildfires and straight-line winds, any penalty and interest imposed for late filing or late payment related to due dates that fall on or after September 7, 2020 and before January 15, 2021 will be waived if you file and pay by January 15, 2021. If you receive a billing or adjustment notice from Revenue related to a late filing or late payment caused by a disaster situation, follow the instructions in the notice to request a waiver of penalty and interest.

The Oregon relief applies to all affected taxpayers who are filing any income, payroll, and excise taxes originally due during the relief period. See our website for a list of qualifying tax programs and frequently asked questions.

Copies of past tax records
Affected taxpayers who need to obtain copies of Oregon tax records will be able to receive replacements free of charge. To obtain copies of critical tax records on file with the Oregon Department of Revenue, please call us at 800-356-4222. These records may include copies of prior tax returns filed with the department, information returns such as W-2s and 1099s, and notices that we’ve issued.

Updating taxpayer information
Affected taxpayers may also need to update their account information, such as an address or phone number. Address changes can be made by calling 800-356-4222, logging into Revenue Online, or by filling out and submitting a change of address form on the Revenue website www.oregon.gov/dor.

Regarding collections
Taxpayers should not skip or reduce current payments. Those who are unable to pay their debt in full can resolve outstanding debt and avoid automated collection by arranging a payment agreement with the department. Those unable to comply with their existing payment agreement between now and January 15, 2021 can request a modification to their payment plan by calling the department at least five business days before their payment due date.

Taxpayers can find agency contact information, more tax resources, tools, and COVID-19 or wildfire relief tax information at www.oregon.gov/dor or by calling 800-356-4222 or 503-378-4988.

This relief follows the IRS’s announcement on Sept. 16 that victims of Oregon wildfires and straight-line winds now have until January 15, 2021 to file and pay various individual and business taxes.

Details on the federal relief can be found at www.irs.gov/newsroom under “Tax Relief in Disaster Situations.”

To get tax forms, check the status of your refund, or make tax payments, visit www.oregon.gov/dor or email questions.dor@oregon.gov. You also can call 800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon. For TTY (hearing- or speech-impaired), we accept all relay calls.