(a) In general. For a taxable year beginning in the applicable taxable year (as defined in paragraph (f)(1) of this section), a taxpayer who is a natural person may reduce taxable income by $500 for each displaced individual (as defined in paragraph (f)(2) of this section) to whom the taxpayer provides housing free of charge in, or on the site of, the taxpayer's principal residence for a period of at least 60 consecutive days. A taxpayer may claim the reduction in taxable income for any applicable taxable year in which a consecutive 60-day period ends. A taxpayer may not claim the reduction in taxable income unless the taxpayer includes the taxpayer identification number of the displaced individual on the taxpayer's income tax return.

(b) Provision of housing—(1) Principal residence. For purposes of this section, the term principal residence has the same meaning as in section 121 and the associated regulations. See § 1.121-1(b)(1) and (b)(2).

(2) Legal interest required. A taxpayer is treated as providing housing for purposes of this section only if the taxpayer is an owner or lessee (including a co-owner or co-lessee) of the principal residence.

(3) Compensation for providing housing. No reduction in taxable income is allowed under this section to a taxpayer who receives rent or any reimbursement or compensation (whether in cash, services, or property) from any source for providing housing to the displaced individual. For this purpose, lodging, utilities, and other similar items are treated as housing, but telephone calls, food, clothing, transportation, and other similar items are not treated as housing.

(c) Limitations—(1) Dollar limitation—(i) In general. The reduction in taxable income under paragraph (a) of this section may not exceed the maximum dollar limitation, and must be reduced by the total amount of all reductions under this section for all prior taxable years (except as provided in paragraph (c)(5) of this section). The maximum dollar limitation is—

(A) $2,000 in the case of an unmarried individual; or

(B) $2,000 in the case of a husband and wife, whether the husband and wife file a joint income tax return or separate income tax returns; married taxpayers filing separate income tax returns may allocate this amount in $500 increments between their respective returns, provided that each spouse is otherwise eligible to claim that reduction in taxable income.

(ii) Married individuals with separate principal residences. The limitation in paragraph (c)(1)(i)(B) of this section applies whether or not the married individuals occupy the same principal residence. A person is treated as married for purposes of this section if the individual is treated as married under section 7703.

(2) Spouse or dependent of the taxpayer. No reduction of taxable income is allowed for a displaced individual who is the spouse or a dependent of the taxpayer.

(3) One reduction per displaced individual. Except as provided in paragraph (c)(5) of this section, a taxpayer may not reduce taxable income under paragraph (a) of this section for a displaced individual for whom the taxpayer or any taxpayer residing in the same principal residence has reduced taxable income under this section for any prior taxable year.

(4) Taxpayers occupying the same principal residence. Except as provided in paragraph (c)(5) of this section, for all taxable years, only one taxpayer occupying the same principal residence may reduce taxable income for a particular displaced individual.

(5) Limitations applied separately to each disaster. The limitations of this paragraph (c) apply separately to each disaster area. Thus, a taxpayer may reduce taxable income by $2,000 for providing housing to Midwestern disaster displaced individuals even though the taxpayer reduced taxable income for providing housing to one or more Hurricane Katrina displaced individuals. For this purpose, all areas within the Midwestern disaster area are treated as one disaster area.

(d) Substantiation. A taxpayer claiming a reduction of taxable income under this section must maintain records sufficient to show entitlement to the reduction as provided in forms, instructions, publications or other guidance published by the IRS.

(e) The Commissioner may apply this section in additional guidance of general applicability, see § 601.601(d)(2) of this chapter, to other disaster areas to which Congress extends relief under section 302 of the Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act of 2005.

(f) In general. The following definitions apply for all purposes of this section.

(1) Applicable taxable year. The term applicable taxable year means—

(i) A taxable year beginning in 2005 or 2006, in the case of housing provided to a Hurricane Katrina displaced individual (as defined in paragraph (f)(2)(ii) of this section); and

(ii) A taxable year beginning in 2008 or 2009, in the case of housing provided to a Midwestern disaster displaced individual (as defined in paragraph (f)(2)(iii) of this section).

(2) Displaced individual—(i) Scope. The term displaced individual means a Hurricane Katrina displaced individual as defined in paragraph (f)(2)(ii) of this section and a Midwestern disaster displaced individual as defined in paragraph (f)(2)(iii) of this section.

(ii) Hurricane Katrina displaced individual. The term Hurricane Katrina displaced individual means any natural person (other than the spouse or a dependent of the taxpayer) if the following requirements are met—

(A) The person's principal place of abode on August 28, 2005, was in the Hurricane Katrina disaster area (as defined in paragraph (f)(4)(ii) of this section);

(B) The person was displaced from that abode; and

(C) If the abode was located outside the Hurricane Katrina core disaster area (as defined in paragraph (f)(5)(ii) of this section)—

(1) The abode was damaged by Hurricane Katrina; or

(2) The person was evacuated from that abode by reason of Hurricane Katrina.

(iii) Midwestern disaster displaced individual. The term Midwestern disaster displaced individual means any natural person (other than the spouse or a dependent of the taxpayer) if the following requirements are met—

(A) The person's principal place of abode on the Midwestern disaster date (as defined in paragraph (f)(3) of this section), was in any Midwestern disaster area (as defined in paragraph (f)(4)(iii) of this section);

(B) The person was displaced from that abode; and

(C) If the abode was located outside the Midwestern core disaster area (as defined in paragraph (f)(5)(iii) of this section)—

(1) The abode was damaged by any Midwestern disaster; or

(2) The person was evacuated from that abode by reason of any Midwestern disaster.

(3) Midwestern disaster date. The term Midwestern disaster date means—

(i) In Arkansas, May 2 through May 12, 2008;

(ii) In Illinois, June 1 through July 22, 2008;

(iii) In Indiana, May 30 through June 27, 2008;

(iv) In Iowa, May 25 through August 13, 2008;

(v) In Kansas, May 22 through June 16, 2008;

(vi) In Michigan, June 6 through June 13, 2008;

(vii) In Minnesota, June 6 through June 12, 2008;

(viii) In Missouri, May 10 through May 11, 2008, and June 1 through August 13, 2008;

(ix) In Nebraska, April 23 through April 26, 2008, May 22 through June 24, 2008, and June 27, 2008; or

(x) In Wisconsin, June 5 through July 25, 2008.

(4) Disaster area—(i) Scope. The term disaster area means the Hurricane Katrina disaster area as defined in paragraph (f)(4)(ii) of this section and the Midwestern disaster area as defined in paragraph (f)(4)(iii) of this section.

(ii) Hurricane Katrina disaster area. The term Hurricane Katrina disaster area means the states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

(iii) Midwestern disaster area. The term Midwestern disaster area means an area for which the President declared a major disaster on or after May 20, 2008, and before August 1, 2008, under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) (Stafford Act) by reason of severe storms, tornados, or flooding occurring in any of the states of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wisconsin.

(5) Core disaster area—(i) Scope. The term core disaster area means the Hurricane Katrina core disaster area as defined in paragraph (f)(5)(ii) of this section and the Midwestern core disaster area as defined in paragraph (f)(5)(iii) of this section.

(ii) Hurricane Katrina core disaster area. The term Hurricane Katrina core disaster area means the portion of the Hurricane Katrina disaster area designated by the President to warrant individual or individual and public assistance from the federal government under the Stafford Act.

(iii) Midwestern core disaster area. The term Midwestern core disaster area means the portion of the Midwestern disaster area designated by the President to warrant individual or individual and public assistance from the federal government under the Stafford Act for damages attributable to the severe storms, tornados, or flooding in the Midwestern disaster area.

(g) Examples. The provisions of this section are illustrated by the following examples. In each example, a taxpayer provides housing within the meaning of paragraph (b) of this section in, or on the site of, the taxpayer's principal residence for a period of at least 60 consecutive days (the 60th day being in the applicable taxable year) for each displaced individual, none of whom is a spouse or dependent of the taxpayer. The examples are as follows:

Example 1.Taxpayer A provides housing to N, a Hurricane Katrina displaced individual, from September 1, 2005, until March 10, 2006. Under paragraphs (a) and (c)(3) of this section, A may reduce A's taxable income by $500 on A's income tax return for calendar year 2005 or 2006 (but not both) for providing housing to N. Example 2.The facts are the same as in Example 1, except that A and A's unmarried roommate B are co-lessees of their principal residence. Both A and B provide housing to N. Under paragraphs (a) and (c)(4) of this section, either A or B, but not both, may reduce taxable income by $500 for 2005 or 2006 for providing housing to N. If A or B reduces taxable income for 2005 for providing housing to N, neither A nor B may reduce taxable income for 2006 for providing housing to N. Example 3.The facts are the same as in Example 2, except that in 2009 A and B provide housing to N, who in 2009 is a Midwestern disaster displaced individual. Under paragraph (c)(5) of this section, the limitation of paragraph (c)(4) of this section applies separately to each disaster. Therefore, either A or B may reduce taxable income by $500 for 2009 for providing housing to N. Example 4.During 2008, unmarried roommates and co-lessees C and D provide housing to eight Midwestern disaster displaced individuals. Under paragraphs (a) and (c)(1)(i)(A) of this section, C may reduce taxable income by $2,000 on C's 2008 income tax return for providing housing to any four of these displaced individuals and D may reduce taxable income by $2,000 on D's 2008 income tax return for providing housing to the other four displaced individuals. Example 5.(i) In 2008, a married couple, H and W, provide housing to a Midwestern disaster displaced individual, O. H and W file their 2008 income tax return as married filing jointly. Under paragraphs (a) and (c)(4) of this section, H and W may reduce taxable income by $500 on their 2008 income tax return for providing housing to O.

(ii) In 2009, H and W provide housing to O and to another Midwestern disaster displaced individual, P. H and W file their 2009 income tax returns as married filing separately. Because H and W reduced their 2008 taxable income for providing housing to O, under paragraph (c)(3) of this section, neither H nor W may reduce taxable income on their 2009 income tax returns for providing housing to O. Under paragraphs (a) and (c)(4) of this section, either H or W but not both, may reduce taxable income by $500 on his or her 2009 income tax return for providing housing to P.

Example 6.The facts are the same as in Example 5, except that in 2009 H and W provide housing to five Midwestern disaster displaced individuals in addition to O. H and W together may reduce taxable income on their 2009 income tax returns by a total of $2,000 for the Midwestern disaster displaced individuals (other than O). Under paragraph (c)(1)(i)(B) of this section, H and W may allocate the $2,000 in increments of $500 between their separate returns. For example, either one may reduce taxable income by $500 and the other may reduce taxable income by $1,500, or H and W each may reduce taxable income by $1,000.

(h) Effective/applicability date. This section applies for taxable years ending after December 11, 2006.

[T.D. 9474, 74 FR 66049, Dec. 14, 2009]