Haven’t filed your taxes yet? Whatcom County residents get more time
Still need to file your federal taxes in Whatcom County?
You could qualify for disaster tax relief, according to the Internal Revenue Service.
Severe storms hammered much of Western Washington over the winter.
As a result of December flooding, more than 100,000 people were under evacuation orders, 383 emergency rescues were conducted and one person died, according to a January report from Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson that sought a federal disaster declaration and $21.3 million in FEMA assistance for families.
Nearly 4,000 homes across the state were damaged in the floods, the report said.
Damage to Whatcom County businesses and government infrastructure alone surpassed $23 million, including more than $2 million in repairs needed for roads, according to the county Public Works Department and Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management.
A total of 1,248 homes were flooded in communities along the Nooksack River, from Maple Falls to the river delta in Lummi Nation.
Here’s what that means for local taxpayers:
When is the deadline to file my 2025 tax return?
In Washington state, the deadline to file your federal income tax return for the 2025 tax year is Wednesday, April 15.
Need more time? You can request a six-month filing extension, but you’ll still need to pay any taxes you owe by the April deadline to avoid penalties and interest.
Who qualifies for disaster tax relief in Washington?
The IRS is providing disaster tax relief for people and businesses in Washington state “affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides” that began in early December, the agency said.
Those taxpayers now have until Friday, May 1, to file federal tax returns and make tax payments, the IRS said.
That’s more than two extra weeks to get your taxes in order.
Eligible taxpayers impacted by flooding will also have until May 1 to make 2025 contributions to IRAs and health savings accounts, according to the IRS.
Which taxpayers get extra time?
According to the IRS, residents and businesses in these Washington counties qualify for storm-related tax relief:
- Chelan
- Clallam
- Grays Harbor
- Jefferson
- King
- Kittitas
- Lewis
- Mason
- Pierce
- Samish
- Skagit
- Snohomish
- Thurston
- Wahkiakum
- Whatcom
- Yakima
This story was originally published April 10, 2026 at 11:22 AM.