Tax News IRS Update: Tax Guidance Related to Ebola Outbreak Read the Article Open Share Drawer Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Written by TurboTaxBlogTeam Published Oct 31, 2014 - [Updated Aug 23, 2019] 2 min read This week the IRS issued two types of guidance for taxpayers, responding to the need for charitable donations and other relief efforts due to the Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The first provides special relief intended to support leave-based donation programs to aid victims who have suffered from the Ebola outbreak, and the other defines the Ebola outbreak as a qualified disaster for federal tax purposes. If you are a taxpayer who wants to get involved, or have been affected by the Ebola outbreak, here’s some more details to get informed about these two updates: Under the leave-based donation guidance, employees may donate their vacation, sick or personal leave in exchange for employer cash payments made to qualified tax-exempt organizations that provide relief for the victims of the Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone. Check with your employer to see if they have a plan in place where you can forgo your vacation, personal time off, or sick leave in exchange for employer cash payments made before Jan. 1, 2016. The IRS will not consider the amount of that payment as your gross income or wages. The qualified-disaster guidance allows recipients of qualified relief payments related to the Ebola outbreak to exclude those payments from income on their tax returns. For example, as an employee of an American company, if you were relocated within Liberia under a quarantine order due to the Ebola outbreak, and the American company pays for your transportation, rent and living expenses, these payments will not be included in the your gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. For more information, please view the IRS Announcement. And if you have questions, TurboTax tax experts are here for you year-round to answer your tax questions, helping you understand what implications these updates may have for you and your family. Previous Post Tax Extender Update: TurboTax Has the Facts Next Post Happy Repeal Day! Written by TurboTaxBlogTeam More from TurboTaxBlogTeam Leave a ReplyCancel reply Browse Related Articles Tax News What about Tax Relief in Disaster Situations Tax News IRS Announces Immediate Tax Benefits for Contributions … Tax Planning IRS Issues Guidance on the Taxation of State Tax Paymen… Tax News IRS Says Some Taxpayers Must Wait to File 2010 Tax Retu… Tax News IRS Announcement: Tax Relief for Victims of Colorado S… Latest News IRS Grants Penalty Relief for 5 Million Tax Returns fro… Tax News IRS Announces Extension Deadline for Businesses Impacte… Tax News IRS Gives Tax Relief to Victims of California Wildfires Tax Deductions and Credits Save with a New Tax Relief Donation Law and Holiday Giv… Tax News IRS Provides Tax Relief for Tornado Victims in Parts of…