The IRS has set up several resources for those affected by the Gulf Oil Spill. These resources are designed to provide affected taxpayers (including individuals and businesses) with assistance for payments received for lost wages, damages, and physical and emotional injuries. In addition, the IRS will assist with questions related to casualty loss deductions and economic hardships as a result of the oil spill. Below is a list of some of the resources available to date:

1) On July 17, 2010, the IRS will be holding a Gulf Coast Assistance Day in seven cities on the Gulf Coast to help taxpayers resolve tax issues related to the disaster. There will be seven locations across four states including:

- Mobile, Alabama

- Panama City, Florida

- Pensacola, Florida

- New Orleans, Louisiana

- Houma, Louisiana,

- Baton Rouge, Louisiana

- Gulfport, Mississippi

Specific times and locations in each of the cities noted above have not been announced yet but will be available soon at the IRS web site at http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=224887,00.html.

2) The IRS established a toll-free telephone number for affected taxpayers to call for assistance. Taxpayers who have questions or need assistance should call the IRS at 866-562-5227. IRS agents are available on weekdays between 7am and 10pm, local time.

3) The IRS has a web site with answers to specific tax questions related to the oil spill. This web site can be found at http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=224886,00.html. Be sure to check this site from time to time as it gets updated with additional questions and answers that become available.

4) In addition to the resources noted above from the IRS, individuals and businesses can get various types of assistance from the federal governmentâ€™s Disaster Assistance web site (http://www.disasterassistance.gov/disasterinformation/deepwater.html). This site provides access to various types of assistance including how to file claims with BP.

For more information about the oil spill and the resources available visit the following web sites:

www.IRS.gov

www.DisasterAssistance.gov

www.whitehouse.gov/deepwater-bp-oil-spill