Internal Revenue Service
Revenue Ruling

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 Rev. Rul. 73-52

1973-1 C.B. 76

Sec. 165

IRS Headnote

"Major disaster" areas in which losses during 1972 qualify for special tax treatment under section 165(h) of the Code.

Full Text

Rev. Rul. 73-52

Under section 165(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, a taxpayer who suffers a disaster loss after December 31, 1971, may elect to take his deduction for that loss on his Federal income tax return for the taxable year immediately preceding the taxable year in which the disaster occurred, provided the loss is one that occurred in an area determined by the President of the United States to warrant assistance by the Federal government under the Disaster Relief Act of 1970.

The election to deduct for the preceding year must be made on or before the later of (1) the original due date of the taxpayer's income tax return for the year in which the disaster occurred, or (2) the due date of the preceding year's return (taking into account extensions of time for filing granted to the taxpayer). Section 1.165-11 of the Income Tax Regulations sets forth the procedures for making an election with respect to such losses.

The President has determined that the areas listed below have been adversely affected by natural disasters of sufficient severity occurring during 1972 to warrant disaster assistance by the Federal government under the Disaster Relief Act of 1970.

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States in which
disaster areas       Type of disaster                Beginning
declared in 1972                                    on or about
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Arizona              Severe storms and flooding    June 21, 1972
                     Heavy rains and flooding      Oct. 18, 1972
California           Severe storms and flooding    Jan. 20, 1972
                     Levee break and flooding      June 21, 1972
Florida              Hurricane Agnes               June 17, 1972
Idaho                Severe storms and flooding    Jan. 18, 1972
Illinois             Severe storms and flooding    Aug. 25, 1972
Iowa                 Severe storms and flooding    July 11, 1972
                        "      "    "     "        Sept. 9, 1972
Kentucky             Severe storms and flooding    April 12, 1972
Maine                Severe storms and flooding    Feb. 18, 1972
                     Toxic algae in the coastal
                       waters                      Sept. 14, 1972
Maryland             Severe storms and flooding    June 21, 1972
Massachusetts        Severe storms and flooding    Feb. 18, 1972
                     Toxic algae in the coastal
                       waters                      Sept. 14, 1972
Michigan             Severe storms and freezing    March 13, 1972
                     Severe storms and flooding    Nov. 14, 1972
Minnesota            Severe storms and flooding    July 21, 1972
                        "      "    "     "        Aug. 16, 1972
North Dakota         Severe storms and flooding    May 17, 1972
New Hampshire        Severe storms and flooding    Feb. 18, 1972
New Mexico           Severe storms and flooding    July 17, 1972
                     Heavy rains and flooding      Aug. 31, 1972
                       "     "    "     "          Oct. 19, 1972
New York             Severe storms and flooding    June 18, 1972
Ohio                 Severe storms and flooding    June 23, 1972
                        "      "    "     "        Nov. 14, 1972
Oregon               Severe storms and flooding    Jan. 11, 1972
Pennsylvania         Severe storms and flooding    June 21, 1972
                     Heavy rains and flooding      Sept. 11, 1972
South Dakota         Severe storms and flooding    June 9, 1972
Tennessee            Flooding                      April 12, 1972
Texas                Severe storms and flooding    May 7, 1972
Virginia             Severe storms and flooding    June 21, 1972
                        "      "    "     "        Sept. 20, 1972
                        "      "    "     "        Oct. 5, 1972
Washington           Severe storms and flooding    Jan. 19, 1972
                     Heavy rains and flooding      Feb. 13, 1972
                     Severe storms and flooding    May 28, 1972
West Virginia        Heavy rains and flooding      Feb. 24, 1972
                     Severe storms and flooding    June 21, 1972
                     Heavy rains and flooding      Aug. 18, 1972
Wisconsin            Heavy rains and flooding      Aug. 15, 1972
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