2016 US Code
Title 26 - Internal Revenue Code
Subtitle A - Income Taxes
Chapter 1 - Normal Taxes and Surtaxes
Subchapter B - Computation of Taxable Income
Part III - Items Specifically Excluded From Gross Income
Sec. 139 - Disaster relief payments

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Citation 26 U.S.C. § 139 (2016)
Section Name §139. Disaster relief payments
Section Text (a) General rule

Gross income shall not include any amount received by an individual as a qualified disaster relief payment.

(b) Qualified disaster relief payment defined

For purposes of this section, the term "qualified disaster relief payment" means any amount paid to or for the benefit of an individual—

(1) to reimburse or pay reasonable and necessary personal, family, living, or funeral expenses incurred as a result of a qualified disaster,

(2) to reimburse or pay reasonable and necessary expenses incurred for the repair or rehabilitation of a personal residence or repair or replacement of its contents to the extent that the need for such repair, rehabilitation, or replacement is attributable to a qualified disaster,

(3) by a person engaged in the furnishing or sale of transportation as a common carrier by reason of the death or personal physical injuries incurred as a result of a qualified disaster, or

(4) if such amount is paid by a Federal, State, or local government, or agency or instrumentality thereof, in connection with a qualified disaster in order to promote the general welfare,


but only to the extent any expense compensated by such payment is not otherwise compensated for by insurance or otherwise.

(c) Qualified disaster defined

For purposes of this section, the term "qualified disaster" means—

(1) a disaster which results from a terroristic or military action (as defined in section 692(c)(2)),

(2) federally 1 declared disaster (as defined by section 165(h)(3)(C)(i)),2

(3) a disaster which results from an accident involving a common carrier, or from any other event, which is determined by the Secretary to be of a catastrophic nature, or

(4) with respect to amounts described in subsection (b)(4), a disaster which is determined by an applicable Federal, State, or local authority (as determined by the Secretary) to warrant assistance from the Federal, State, or local government or agency or instrumentality thereof.

(d) Coordination with employment taxes

For purposes of chapter 2 and subtitle C, qualified disaster relief payments and qualified disaster mitigation payments shall not be treated as net earnings from self-employment, wages, or compensation subject to tax.

(e) No relief for certain individuals

Subsections (a), (f), and (g) shall not apply with respect to any individual identified by the Attorney General to have been a participant or conspirator in a terroristic action (as so defined), or a representative of such individual.

(f) Exclusion of certain additional payments

Gross income shall not include any amount received as payment under section 406 of the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act.

(g) Qualified disaster mitigation payments (1) In general

Gross income shall not include any amount received as a qualified disaster mitigation payment.

(2) Qualified disaster mitigation payment defined

For purposes of this section, the term "qualified disaster mitigation payment" means any amount which is paid pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (as in effect on the date of the enactment of this subsection) or the National Flood Insurance Act (as in effect on such date) to or for the benefit of the owner of any property for hazard mitigation with respect to such property. Such term shall not include any amount received for the sale or disposition of any property.

(3) No increase in basis

Notwithstanding any other provision of this subtitle, no increase in the basis or adjusted basis of any property shall result from any amount excluded under this subsection with respect to such property.

(h) Denial of double benefit

Notwithstanding any other provision of this subtitle, no deduction or credit shall be allowed (to the person for whose benefit a qualified disaster relief payment or qualified disaster mitigation payment is made) for, or by reason of, any expenditure to the extent of the amount excluded under this section with respect to such expenditure.

Source Credit

(Added Pub. L. 107–134, title I, §111(a), Jan. 23, 2002, 115 Stat. 2432; amended Pub. L. 109–7, §1(a), Apr. 15, 2005, 119 Stat. 21; Pub. L. 110–343, div. C, title VII, §706(a)(2)(D)(iv), Oct. 3, 2008, 122 Stat. 3922.)

Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT

Par. (3) of section 165(h), referred to in subsec. (c)(2), was repealed by Pub. L. 113–295, div. A, title II, §221(a)(27)(A), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 4040. However, the term "federally declared disaster" is defined elsewhere in that section.

Section 406 of the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act, referred to in subsec. (f), is section 406 of Pub. L. 107–42, which is set out as a note under section 40101 of Title 49, Transportation.

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, referred to in subsec. (g)(2), is Pub. L. 93–288, May 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 143, as amended, which is classified principally to chapter 68 (§5121 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 5121 of Title 42 and Tables.

The date of the enactment of this subsection, referred to in subsec. (g)(2), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 109–7, which was approved Apr. 15, 2005.

The National Flood Insurance Act, referred to in subsec. (g)(2), probably means the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, title XIII of Pub. L. 90–448, Aug. 1, 1968, 82 Stat. 572, as amended, which is classified principally to chapter 50 (§4001 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 4001 of Title 42 and Tables.

PRIOR PROVISIONS

A prior section 139 was renumbered section 140 of this title.

AMENDMENTS

2008—Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 110–343 amended par. (2) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (2) read as follows: "a Presidentially declared disaster (as defined in section 1033(h)(3)),".

2005—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 109–7, §1(a)(2)(A), substituted "qualified disaster relief payments and qualified disaster mitigation payments" for "a qualified disaster relief payment".

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 109–7, §1(a)(2)(B), substituted ", (f), and (g)" for "and (f)".

Subsecs. (g), (h). Pub. L. 109–7, §1(a)(1), added subsecs. (g) and (h).

EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2008 AMENDMENT

Amendment by Pub. L. 110–343 applicable to disasters declared in taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 2007, see section 706(d)(1) of Pub. L. 110–343, set out as a note under section 56 of this title.

EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2005 AMENDMENT

Pub. L. 109–7, §1(c)(1), Apr. 15, 2005, 119 Stat. 22, provided that: "The amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply to amounts received before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this Act [Apr. 15, 2005]."

EFFECTIVE DATE

Pub. L. 107–134, title I, §111(c), Jan. 23, 2002, 115 Stat. 2433, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [enacting this section and renumbering former section 139 as section 140 of this title] shall apply to taxable years ending on or after September 11, 2001."

Footnotes

1 So in original. Probably should be preceded by "a".

2 See References in Text note below.

Publication Title United States Code, 2012 Edition, Supplement 4, Title 26 - INTERNAL REVENUE CODE
Category Bills and Statutes
Collection United States Code
SuDoc Class Number Y 1.2/5:
Contained Within Title 26 - INTERNAL REVENUE CODE
Subtitle A - Income Taxes
CHAPTER 1 - NORMAL TAXES AND SURTAXES
Subchapter B - Computation of Taxable Income
PART III - ITEMS SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED FROM GROSS INCOME
Sec. 139 - Disaster relief payments
Contains section 139
Date 2016
Laws In Effect As Of Date January 6, 2017
Positive Law No
Disposition standard
Statutes at Large References 82 Stat. 572
88 Stat. 143
115 Stat. 2432, 2433
119 Stat. 21, 22
122 Stat. 3922
128 Stat. 4040
Public Law References Public Law 90-448, Public Law 93-288, Public Law 107-42, Public Law 107-134, Public Law 109-7, Public Law 110-343, Public Law 113-295
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