IRS Releases Publication 584 (6/2012), Casualty, Disaster, and Theft Loss Workbook

What's New

Future developments. The IRS has created a page on IRS.gov for information about Publication 584, at http://www.irs.gov/pub584. Information about any future developments affecting Publication 584 (such as legislation enacted after we release it) will be posted on that page.

Introduction

This workbook is designed to help you figure your loss on personal-use property in the event of a disaster, casualty, or theft. It contains schedules to help you figure the loss to your main home, its contents, and your motor vehicles. However, these schedules are for your information only. You must complete Form 4684, Casualties and Thefts, to report your loss.

How To Use This Workbook

You can use this workbook by following these five steps.

                                         And enter it on

Generally, you may deduct losses to your home, household goods, and motor vehicles on your federal income tax return. However, you may not deduct a casualty or theft loss that is covered by insurance unless you filed a timely insurance claim for reimbursement. Any reimbursement you receive will reduce the loss. If you did not file an insurance claim, you may deduct only the part of the loss that was not covered by insurance.

Amount of loss. You figure the amount of your loss using the following steps.

Cost or other basis. Cost or other basis usually means original cost plus improvements. If you did not acquire the property by purchasing it, your basis is determined as discussed in Publication 551, Basis of Assets. If you inherited the property from someone who died in 2010, and the executor of the decedent's estate made the election to file Form 8939, refer to the information provided by the executor or see Publication 4895, Tax Treatment of Property Acquired From a Decedent Dying in 2010.

Fair market value. FMV is the price for which you could sell your property to a willing buyer, when neither of you has to sell or buy and both of you know all the relevant facts. When filling out Schedules 1 through 20, you need to know the FMV of the property immediately before and immediately after the disaster, casualty, or theft.

Separate computations. Generally, if a single casualty or theft involves more than one item of property, you must figure the loss on each item separately. Then combine the losses to determine the total loss from that casualty or theft.

Exception for personal-use real property. In figuring a casualty loss on personal-use real property, the entire property (including any improvements, such as buildings, trees, and shrubs) is treated as one item. Figure the loss using the smaller of the following.

When your loss is deductible. You can generally deduct a casualty or disaster area loss only in the tax year in which the casualty or disaster occurred. You can generally deduct a theft loss only in the year you discovered your property was stolen. However, you can choose to deduct disaster area losses on your return for the year immediately before the year of the disaster if the President has declared your area a federal disaster area. For details, see Disaster Area Losses in Publication 547.

Comments and Suggestions

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As part of the TCE program, AARP offers the Tax-Aide counseling program. To find the nearest AARP Tax-Aide site, call 1-888-227-7669 or visit AARP's website at http://www.aarp.org/money/taxaide.

For more information on these programs, go to IRS.gov and enter keyword "VITA" in the upper right-hand corner.

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Internal Revenue Service 1201 N. Mitsubishi Motorway Bloomington, IL 61705-6613

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TAS can help if you can't resolve your problem with the IRS and:

As a taxpayer, you have rights that the IRS must abide by in its dealings with you. Our tax toolkit at http://www.TaxpayerAdvocate.irs.gov can help you understand these rights.

If you think TAS might be able to help you, call your local advocate, whose number is in your phone book and on our website at http://www.irs.gov/advocate. You can also call our toll-free number at 1-877-777-4778 or TTY/TDD 1-800-829-4059.

TAS also handles large-scale or systemic problems that affect many taxpayers. If you know of one of these broad issues, please report it to us through our Systemic Advocacy Management System at http://www.irs.gov/advocate.

Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs). Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs) are independent from the IRS. Some clinics serve individuals whose income is below a certain level and who need to resolve a tax problem. These clinics provide professional representation before the IRS or in court on audits, appeals, tax collection disputes, and other issues for free or for a small fee. Some clinics can provide information about taxpayer rights and responsibilities in many different languages for individuals who speak English as a second language. For more information and to find a clinic near you, see the LITC page on http://www.irs.gov/advocate or IRS Publication 4134, Low Income Taxpayer Clinic List. This publication is also available by calling 1-800-829-3676 or at your local IRS office.

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Accessible versions of IRS published products are available on request in a variety of alternative formats for people with disabilities.

DVD for tax products. You can order Publication 1796, IRS Tax Products DVD, and obtain:

Schedule 1. Entrance Hall

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