Federal And State Disaster Aid May Cover Personal Losses
Release Date: March 21, 2007
Release Number: 1687-029
» More Information on Alabama Severe Storms and Tornadoes
MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- As the recovery continues from the March 1 tornadoes, federal and state officials want you to know you may be eligible for assistance to cover uninsured personal losses that resulted from the storms.
“The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) have money available to help cover uninsured personal losses such as cost of burials, loss of transportation, medical and dental expenses and for some personal household items,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Gracia Szczech. Disaster unemployment assistance and help with tax and legal issues also are available.
Federal and state-funded Other Needs Assistance (ONA) provides grants for disaster-related medical and dental expenses and burial costs. Eligibility for these grants is not dependent upon filling out a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan application.
However, to be eligible for ONA assistance that covers personal property, such as clothing, some household furnishings and appliances, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses, an applicant must complete an SBA loan application.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available to U.S. citizens, qualified aliens and non-citizen nationals who lost a job or became unemployed as a direct result of the tornadoes. If you worked or were self-employed in, or were scheduled to begin work or self-employment in, an area declared a federal disaster area, you may apply for the benefits funded through FEMA in a 26-week program administered by the State of Alabama. To file a DUA claim, call the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations at (866) 234-5382, or visit their website at www.dir.alabama.gov.
The IRS has extended the deadline for filing federal tax returns until April 30 for residents who live in Coffee, Dale, Dallas, Henry, Montgomery and Wilcox counties.
“Taxpayers can claim tornado or storm damage and personal property losses on their 2006 return, even though the storm hit in 2007,” IRS spokesman Dan Boone said. If you have already filed your 2006 return, you may file an amended return to receive early tax benefits. Claiming the loss on an original or amended return for last year will get the taxpayer an earlier refund, but waiting to claim the loss on this year’s return could result in a greater tax saving, depending on other income factors.
You also may be eligible for help with legal issues arising from the tornado. Free legal advice is available by calling the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association toll-free at (800) 354-6154. Assistance is available for legal issues with insurance claims, landlord/tenant problems, home repair contracts, replacement of wills and other legal documents, and other legal issues resulting from the tornado.
Remember, to qualify for federal disaster assistance, you must register by calling the toll-free registration line at (800) 621-FEMA (3362). You may also register online at www.fema.gov. The TTY number for those with speech or hearing impairments is (800) 462-7585.
FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident, initiates mitigation activities and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA works closely with state and local emergency managers, law enforcement personnel, firefighters and other first responders. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, economic status or retaliation. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, you should call FEMA toll-free at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or contact your State Office of Equal rights. If suspicious of any abuse of FEMA programs, please contact the fraud hotline at 1-800-323-8603.
FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 21-Mar-2007 10:41:10