DeSantis announces plans for hurricane tax-filing relief as FICPA awaits IRS confirmation

Florida – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday that he is working with the federal government to secure tax-filing relief for people affected by Hurricane Isaias. His announcement came ahead of the October 15 filing deadline, but the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants cautioned that official IRS confirmation was still needed.

Speaking at a press conference in Jay, DeSantis said an extension would happen and indicated that it would likely apply to those covered by the state of emergency.

Read also: Hollywood’s Radius Garage to restrict access during work from October 19 through November 3

“We’re going to do it,” the governor said. “The feds will validate it. … Likely it will be, whoever is in the state of emergency will be able to get an extension on those tax-filing deadlines. That will happen. I approved that today. … So people can count that that’s going to happen.”

The FICPA said it had been working around the clock with state and federal officials since Friday to obtain relief. The organization thanked the governor, state officials, and state lawmakers for their work on behalf of its members and their clients.

While welcoming the announcement, the institute emphasized that the governor’s remarks were not yet an official IRS extension. Its guidance was to keep working toward the existing deadline until the federal agency announced relief and identified the specific counties covered.

Read also: Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance president and CEO Bob Swindell announces retirement in 2027

That distinction leaves the scope of the expected extension awaiting confirmation. The governor described likely eligibility, but the FICPA alert did not provide a replacement filing deadline or an IRS-approved list of affected counties.

For members and clients, the institute’s message remained clear: continue preparing to meet Thursday, October 15, while watching for an official announcement. The anticipated relief should not be treated as finalized based solely on the governor’s statements.

The FICPA said it would share official communications from the Executive Office of the Governor, the White House, FEMA, and the IRS as they became available. Its statement and deadline guidance appear in the FICPA advocacy alert.