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Our hearts go out to everyone living through the terrible fires that have devastated parts of Los Angeles. To help, we’ve gathered links to useful resources as families, communities, and organizations fight through this terrible experience and begin to rebuild.
FEMA assistance. Because its “assistance is designed to help you if you do not have insurance or if your insurance policies don’t cover basic needs,” the Federal Emergency Management Administration advises readers whose home has been harmed by the fires to file an insurance claim first. (If you apply with FEMA later, have your coverage information on hand.)
Costs that the agency might be able to help you pay for include “essential items, finding a place to stay, replacing personal property or making basic repairs to your home.” Visit https://www.disasterassistance.gov/, call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362, or download the FEMA App (Apple, Android).
Other federal information. Check your small business’s eligibility for types of disaster relief loans on the Small Business Administration’s California Wildfires page. The Internal Revenue Service also announced a six-month extension to file business and tax returns for those affected by the fires.
State assistance. Visit CA.gov/LAfires to sign up for alerts and visit its Department of Insurance for resources and tips on submitting claims. Like the IRS, California’s state tax authority also extended its return-filing deadline by six months.
Los Angeles County. Recovery.LACounty.gov has specific information on recovery from the Eaton Fire and the Palisades Fire as well as a directory for county government services that can help you with vital records, senior services, animal rescue, and tax relief.
Other California and LA-based resources. The California Community Foundation shared a list of state and local organizations that may be able to help people get food, funding, crisis counseling, and other direct help. (The CCF “does not provide direct funding to individuals.”)
For accountants. “For any CPA affected by the devastating wildfires in California, the AICPA Benevolent Fund has been built up to help those in need,” the organization said on LinkedIn. The fund provides one-time grants to current AICPA members and their dependent children (under age 21), as well as to surviving spouses of late AICPA members.
The grants can also help with “temporary monthly living expenses” including healthcare-related costs “that exceed insurance coverage,” as well as health insurance premiums and “most medically necessary services for dependent children (under age 21).” The application form and instructions for the fund’s Disaster Support Application are available here. Email [email protected] with questions.
For helping others. The AICPA’s Disaster Relief Resource Center has information on disaster tax relief by state and disaster recovery, including a post-disaster checklist, a VS Section 100 toolkit, and resources for business interruption claims and preventing fraud.
Additional links.