Form 4684 - Casualties and Thefts

2017

Instructions for Form 4684

Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service

Casualties and Thefts
Section references are to the Internal Revenue Code
unless otherwise noted.

General Instructions
Future Developments

For the latest information about
developments related to Form 4684 and its
instructions, such as legislation enacted after
they were published, go to IRS.gov/
Form4684.

What’s New
Special rules and updated return procedures for claiming qualified disaster losses. Personal casualty losses resulting from
Hurricane Harvey or Tropical Storm Harvey,
Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Maria, and the
California wildfires, may be claimed as a
qualified disaster loss on your Form 4684.
See When To Deduct a Loss, later. Form
4684 has been updated to reflect special
relief provided as part of the Disaster Relief
and Airport and Airway Extension Act of
2017, the Tax Reform Act of 2017, and the
Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. For more
information about claiming relief, see
Qualified disaster losses, later. The special
relief is described in the Specific Instructions
for lines 11 and 15, later. Also see IRS.gov/
DisasterTaxRelief for more information and
updates.
Determining and reporting casualty losses using safe harbor methods. You may
be able to use certain safe harbor methods
to determine the amount of your personal
casualty and theft losses. For more
information, see Safe harbor methods for
determining casualty and theft losses, later.
Damage caused by certain deteriorating
concrete foundations may be treated as
casualty loss. Effective for federal income
tax returns (including amended returns) filed
after November 21, 2017, damage to
personal residences resulting from
deteriorating concrete foundations caused
by the presence of mineral pyrrhotite may be
treated as a casualty loss. For more
information on this safe harbor provision, see
Pub. 547, Casualties, Disasters, and Thefts.
2018 disaster losses. A new Section D
has been added to Form 4684 to make an
election (or revoke a prior election) to deduct
a loss sustained in a disaster area and
attributable to a federally declared disaster in
the tax year immediately preceding the
disaster year (defined later). For disaster
years beginning in 2018, this election may be
made by completing Section D on the 2017
Form 4684 and attaching it to your return or
an amended return for 2017 that claims the
Feb 21, 2018

disaster loss deduction. See
Section D—Election To Deduct Federally
Declared Disaster Loss in Preceding Tax
Year for more information. For more
information on disaster assistance and
emergency relief for individuals, see
IRS.gov/DisasterRelief.

Note. Victims of fraudulent investment
schemes can claim a theft loss deduction if
certain conditions apply. See Losses From
Ponzi-Type Investment Schemes, later, for
more information.

Purpose of Form

If the amount you receive in insurance or
other reimbursement is more than the cost or
other basis of the property, you have a gain.
If you have a gain, you may have to pay tax
on it, or you may be able to postpone the
gain.

Use Form 4684 to report gains and losses
from casualties and thefts. Attach Form 4684
to your tax return.

Losses You Can Deduct

You can deduct losses of property from fire,
storm, shipwreck, or other casualty, or theft
(for example, larceny, embezzlement,
robbery, and Ponzi-type investment
schemes). See Pub. 547 for more examples.
If your property is covered by insurance,
you should file a timely insurance claim for
reimbursement of your loss. If you don't file
an insurance claim, you can't deduct the full
unrecovered amount as a casualty or theft
loss and only the part of the loss that isn't
covered by your insurance policy is
deductible.
Related expenses. The related expenses
you have due to a casualty or theft, such as
expenses for the treatment of personal
injuries or for the rental of a car, aren't
deductible as casualty or theft losses.
Costs for protection against future
casualties aren't deductible but should be
capitalized as permanent improvements. An
example would be the cost of a levee to stop
flooding.

Losses You Can't Deduct

Money or property misplaced or lost may
not be deducted as a theft loss.
Breakage of china, glassware, furniture,
and similar items under normal conditions.
Progressive damage to property
(buildings, clothes, trees, etc.) caused by
termites, moths, other insects, or disease.
See Pub. 547 for information on the
treatment of deteriorating concrete
foundations that contain the mineral
pyrrhotite.
A decline in market value of stock, caused
by disclosure of accounting or other illegal
misconduct by the officers or directors of the
corporation that issues the stock, that was
acquired on the open market for investment.
You may be able to deduct it as a capital loss
on Schedule D (Form 1040) if the stock is
sold or exchanged or becomes completely
worthless. See chapter 4 of Pub. 550,
Investment Income and Expenses.

Cat. No. 12998Z

Gain on Reimbursement

Don't report the gain on damaged,
destroyed, or stolen property if you receive
property that is similar or related to it in
service or use. Your basis in the new
property is the same as your basis in the old
property.
Any tangible replacement property held
for use in a trade or business is treated as
similar or related in service or use to property
held for use in a trade or business or for
investment if:
The property you are replacing was
damaged or destroyed in a disaster, and
The area in which the property was
damaged or destroyed was declared by the
President of the United States to warrant
federal assistance because of that disaster.
Generally, you must recognize the gain if
you receive unlike property or money as
reimbursement. But you generally can
choose to postpone all or part of the gain if,
within 2 years of the end of the first tax year
in which any part of the gain is realized, you
purchase:
Property similar or related in service or
use to the damaged, destroyed, or stolen
property, or
A controlling interest (at least 80%) in a
corporation owning such property.
To postpone all of the gain, the cost of the
replacement property must be equal to or
more than the reimbursement you received
for your property. If the cost of the
replacement property is less than the
reimbursement received, you must recognize
the gain to the extent the reimbursement
exceeds the cost of the replacement
property.
If the replacement property or stock is
acquired from a related person, gain
generally can't be postponed by:
Corporations (other than S corporations),
Partnerships in which more than 50% of
the capital or profits interest is owned by
corporations (other than S corporations), or
All other taxpayers, unless the aggregate
realized gains on the involuntarily converted
property are $100,000 or less for the tax

year. This rule applies to partnerships and S
corporations at both the entity and partner or
shareholder level.
For details on how to postpone the gain,
see Pub. 547.
If your main home was located in a
disaster area and that home or any of its
contents were damaged or destroyed due to
the disaster, special rules apply. See Gains
Realized on Homes in Disaster Areas, later.

When To Deduct a Loss

Deduct the part of your casualty or theft loss
that isn't reimbursable in the tax year the
casualty occurred or the theft was
discovered. However, a disaster loss and a
loss from deposits in insolvent or bankrupt
financial institutions may be treated
differently. See Disaster Losses and Special
Treatment for Losses on Deposits in
Insolvent or Bankrupt Financial Institutions,
later.
If you aren't sure whether part of your
casualty or theft loss will be reimbursed,
don't deduct that part until the tax year when
you become reasonably certain that it won't
be reimbursed.
If you are reimbursed for a loss you
deducted in an earlier year, include the
reimbursement in your income in the year
you received it, but only to the extent the
deduction reduced your tax in an earlier
year.
See Lessee's loss in Pub. 547 for special
rules on when to deduct losses from
casualties and thefts to leased property.

Disaster Losses

A disaster loss is a loss that occurred in an
area determined by the President of the
United States to warrant federal disaster
assistance and that is attributable to a
federally declared disaster. It includes a
major disaster or emergency declaration.
For a list of federally declared

TIP disasters and disaster areas, see
FEMA.gov/Disasters.

To determine the amount to deduct for a
disaster loss, you must take into account as
reimbursements any benefits you received or
which you have a reasonable possibility of
receiving from federal or state programs to
restore your property.
Disaster year. The disaster year is the tax
year in which you sustained the loss
attributable to a federally declared disaster.
Generally, a disaster loss is sustained in the
year the disaster occurred. However, a
disaster loss may also be sustained in a year
after the disaster occurred. For example, if a
claim for reimbursement exists for which
there is a reasonable prospect of recovery,
no part of the loss for which reimbursement
may be received is sustained until it can be
ascertained with reasonable certainty
whether you will be reimbursed.
Example. In December 2017, your car
was destroyed in severe flooding that

occurred in the area where you live. The
area where you lived was designated by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) to be eligible for public or individual
assistance (or both). You immediately filed a
claim for reimbursement with your insurance
company. There was a reasonable prospect
that you would recover the full amount of
your loss. The claim was settled in January
2018 when your insurance company
reimbursed you for only half of your loss. The
disaster year is 2018 (not 2017 when the
loss occurred). Your loss was sustained in
2018 because that’s when it became
reasonably certain whether you would be
reimbursed. You can either deduct the
unreimbursed loss on your tax return for the
disaster year (2018) or make an election to
deduct the unreimbursed loss on your tax
return for the preceding year (2017).
Election to deduct loss in the preceding
year. If you have a casualty loss from a
federally declared disaster that occurred in
an area warranting public or individual
assistance (or both), you can elect to deduct
the loss in the tax year immediately before
the disaster year. A list of areas warranting
public or individual assistance (or both) is
available at the FEMA website at FEMA.gov/
Disasters.
This election must be made by filing your
return or amended return for the earlier year,
and claiming your disaster loss on it, on or
before the date that is six months after the
regular due date for filing your original return
(without extensions) for the disaster year.
You can make the election to deduct a
disaster loss sustained in 2017 on your
amended 2016 return on or before October
15, 2018.
If you previously obtained a 6-month
extension of time to file your original 2016
return and you are an affected taxpayer as a
result of a qualified 2017 disaster loss, you
have until January 31, 2018, to timely file and
make this election, except that taxpayers
affected by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico or
the U.S. Virgin Islands have until June 29,
2018, to do so.
If you make this election for a disaster
loss sustained in 2017, include a statement
with your 2016 original or amended return
saying that you are making this election.
Specify the name (or give a description) of
the disaster, the date(s) of the disaster, and
the city or town, county or parish, state, and
zip code in which the damaged or destroyed
property was located. The statement can be
made on the return (for example, on line 1 or
19 of Form 4684) or on an attachment filed
with the return.
See the 2016 Instructions for Form 4684
for more detailed information on how to claim
these losses on your original or amended
2016 return.
For disaster years beginning in 2018, this
election may be made by completing Part I of
Section D on the 2017 Form 4684 and
attaching it to your return or amended return
for 2017 that claims the disaster loss
deduction on or before the date that is six
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months after the regular due date for filing
your original return (without extensions) for
the disaster year. For calendar year
taxpayers, this deadline is October 15, 2019.
See Section D—Election To Deduct
Federally Declared Disaster Loss in
Preceding Tax Year, later.
Revoking a prior election to deduct
loss in the preceding year. You can
revoke this election by filing an amended
return for the preceding year that contains a
revocation statement. The revocation
statement must include the following
information:
1. A statement clearly showing that the
election is being revoked;
2. The name or a description of the
disaster and date or dates of the disaster for
which the election was originally claimed;
and
3. The address, including the city or
town, county or parish, state, and zip code,
where the damaged property was located at
the time of the disaster and for which you
originally claimed the election.
Your amended return eliminating the
election must be filed on or before the date
that is 90 days after the due date for making
the election and on or before the date you
file any return or amended return for the year
that includes the disaster loss.
Your amended return (eliminating the
previous disaster loss election) should
refigure your tax liability as a result of
revoking the election. You must pay or make
arrangements to pay any tax and interest
due as a result of the revocation.
Complete Part II of Section D if you want
to revoke a 2018 disaster year election to
deduct a federally declared disaster loss in
the preceding tax year. Attach the completed
Section D to an amended return for the
preceding year (that is, to an amended 2017
return for the revocation of a 2018 disaster
year election). See Section D—Election To
Deduct Federally Declared Disaster Loss in
Preceding Tax Year, later.
Home made unsafe by disaster. If your
home was located in a disaster area and
your state or local government ordered you
to tear it down or move it because it was no
longer safe to use as a home due to the
disaster, the resulting loss in value is treated
as a disaster loss. The order for you to tear
down or move the home must have been
issued within 120 days after the area was
officially declared a disaster area.
For purposes of figuring the disaster loss,
use the value of your home before you
moved it or tore it down as its fair market
value after the casualty.
Qualified disaster losses. Qualified
disaster losses are personal casualty losses
sustained as a result of a federally declared
disaster that occurred in 2016, as well as
from Hurricane Harvey or Tropical Storm
Harvey, Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Maria, or
the California wildfires (described under
Qualified 2017 disaster losses). The special

relief for these qualified disaster losses is
described in the Specific Instructions for
lines 11 and 15, later.
You can deduct qualified disaster losses
for both regular and AMT purposes without
itemizing other deductions on Schedule A.
Moreover, your net casualty loss from these
qualified disasters does not need to exceed
10% of your adjusted gross income to qualify
for the deduction, but the $100 limit per
casualty is increased to $500.
Qualified 2017 disaster losses. A
qualified 2017 disaster loss is a personal
casualty loss caused by:
Hurricane Harvey or Tropical Storm
Harvey in the Hurricane Harvey disaster area
after August 22, 2017,
Hurricane Irma in the Hurricane Irma
disaster area after September 3, 2017,
Hurricane Maria in the Hurricane Maria
disaster area after September 15, 2017, or
the
California wildfires in the California wildfire
disaster area after October 7, 2017.
In addition, the federal disaster
declaration must have been made before
September 21, 2017, for Hurricane Maria;
before October 17, 2017, for Hurricane
Harvey or Tropical Storm Harvey and
Hurricane Irma; and between January 1,
2017 through January 18, 2018, for
California wildfires.
More information. See Pub. 547 for more
information about disaster losses.

Gains Realized on Homes
in Disaster Areas

The following rules apply if your main home
was located in an area declared by the
President of the United States to warrant
federal assistance as the result of a disaster,
and the home or any of its contents were
damaged or destroyed due to the disaster.
These rules also apply to renters who
receive insurance proceeds for damaged or
destroyed property in a rented home that is
their main home.
1. No gain is recognized on any
insurance proceeds received for
unscheduled personal property that was part
of the contents of the home.
2. Any other insurance proceeds you
receive for the home or its contents are
treated as received for a single item of
property, and any replacement property you
purchase that is similar or related in service
or use to the home or its contents is treated
as similar or related in service or use to that
single item of property. Therefore, you can
choose to recognize gain only to the extent
the insurance proceeds treated as received
for that single item of property exceed the
cost of the replacement property.
3. If you choose to postpone any gain
from the receipt of insurance or other
reimbursement for your main home or any of
its contents, the period in which you must
purchase replacement property is extended
until 4 years after the end of the first tax year
in which any part of the gain is realized.

For details on how to postpone gain, see
Pub. 547.

an ordinary loss. See chapter 4 of Pub. 550
for the definition of “related.”

Example. Your main home and its
contents were completely destroyed in 2017
by a tornado in a federally declared disaster
area. In 2017, you received insurance
proceeds of $200,000 for the home, $25,000
for unscheduled personal property in your
home, $5,000 for jewelry, and $10,000 for a
stamp collection. The jewelry and stamp
collection were kept in your home and were
scheduled property on your insurance policy.
No gain is recognized on the $25,000 you
received for the unscheduled personal
property. If you reinvest the remaining
proceeds of $215,000 in a replacement
home, any type of replacement contents
(whether scheduled or unscheduled), or
both, you can elect to postpone any gain on
your home, jewelry, or stamp collection. If
you reinvest less than $215,000, any gain is
recognized only to the extent $215,000
exceeds the amount you reinvest in a
replacement home, any type of replacement
contents (whether scheduled or
unscheduled), or both. To postpone gain,
you must purchase the replacement property
before 2022. Your basis in the replacement
property equals its cost decreased by the
amount of any postponed gain.

If you elect to deduct the loss as a
casualty loss or as an ordinary loss and you
have more than one account in the same
financial institution, you must include all your
accounts. Once you make the election, you
can't change it without permission from the
IRS. See Notice 89-28, 1989-1 C.B. 667, for
more details.

Special Treatment for
Losses on Deposits in
Insolvent or Bankrupt
Financial Institutions

If you are an individual who incurred a loss
from a deposit in a bank, credit union, or
other financial institution because of the
bankruptcy or insolvency of that institution
and you can reasonably estimate your loss,
you can elect to deduct the loss as:
A casualty loss to personal use property
on Form 4684, or
An ordinary loss (miscellaneous itemized
deduction) on Schedule A (Form 1040),
Itemized Deductions, line 23, or Form
1040NR, Schedule A, Itemized Deductions,
line 9. You can't elect the ordinary loss
deduction if any part of the deposits related
to the loss is federally insured. The maximum
amount you can claim is $20,000 ($10,000 if
you are married filing separately). Your
deduction is reduced by any expected state
insurance proceeds and is subject to the
2%-of-adjusted-gross-income (AGI) limit.
If you elect to deduct the estimated loss
as a casualty loss or as an ordinary loss, you
can't claim the same loss as a nonbusiness
bad debt. If the estimated loss deducted is
less than the actual loss, you can claim the
difference as a nonbusiness bad debt for the
year in which the final determination of the
loss occurs. A nonbusiness bad debt is
deducted on Schedule D (Form 1040),
Capital Gains and Losses, as a short-term
capital loss.
If you are a 1% or more owner or an
officer of the financial institution, or are
related to any such owner or officer, you
can't deduct the loss as a casualty loss or as
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To elect to deduct the loss as a casualty
loss, complete Form 4684 as follows: On
line 1, enter the name of the financial
institution and “Insolvent Financial
Institution.” Skip lines 2 through 9. Enter the
amount of the loss on line 10, and complete
the rest of Section A.
If, in a later year, you recover an amount
you deducted as a loss, you may have to
include in your income the amount recovered
for that year. For details, see Recoveries in
Pub. 525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income.

Damage From Corrosive
Drywall

If you suffered property losses due to the
effects of certain imported drywall installed in
homes between 2001 and 2009, under a
special procedure, you may be able to claim
a casualty loss deduction for amounts you
paid to repair damage to your home and
household appliances that resulted from
corrosive drywall. For details, see Special
Procedure for Damage From Corrosive
Drywall under Casualty in Pub. 547.

Specific Instructions
Which Sections To
Complete

Use Section A to figure casualty or theft
gains and losses for property that isn't used
in a trade or business or for
income-producing purposes. Also use
Section A to figure casualty or theft losses
and gains related to the portion of your home
used for business if you used the simplified
method to determine your deductible
expenses for business use of your home.
Use Section B to figure casualty or theft
gains and losses for property that is used in
a trade or business or for income-producing
purposes.
If property is used partly in a trade or
business and partly for personal purposes,
such as a personal home with a rental unit,
figure the personal part in Section A and the
business part in Section B.
Use Section C to figure a theft loss
deduction from a Ponzi-type investment
scheme if you qualify to use Revenue
Procedure 2009-20, as modified by Revenue
Procedure 2011-58, and choose to follow the
procedures in the guidance. Section C of
Form 4684 replaces Appendix A in Revenue
Procedure 2009-20. You don't need to
complete Appendix A. See Losses From
Ponzi-Type Investment Schemes, later.

Use Section D to elect (or revoke an
election) to deduct in the immediately
preceding tax year a loss that was
attributable to a federally declared disaster,
occurred in a federally declared disaster
area, and was sustained in a disaster year
after 2017.

Section A—Personal Use
Property

Use a separate column for lines 2 through 9
to show each item lost or damaged from a
single casualty or theft described on line 1. If
more than four items were lost or damaged,
use additional sheets following the format of
lines 1 through 9.
Use a separate Form 4684 through
line 12 for each casualty or theft involving
property not used in a trade or business or
for income-producing purposes. For
example, use a separate Form 4684 through
line 12 for property lost or damaged due to
Hurricane Harvey or Tropical Storm Harvey,
Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Maria, or the
California wildfires.
Don't include any loss previously
deducted on an estate tax return.
If you are liable for casualty or theft losses
to property you lease from someone else,
see Leased property under Figuring a Loss
in Pub. 547.

Line 1
Describe the type of property (for example,
furniture, jewelry, car, etc.).

Line 2
Cost or other basis usually means original
cost plus improvements. Subtract any
postponed gain from the sale of a previous
main home. Special rules apply to property
received as a gift or inheritance. See Basis
Other Than Cost in Pub. 551, Basis of
Assets, for details. If you inherited the
property from someone who died in 2010
and the executor of the decedent's estate
made the election to file Form 8939,
Allocation of Increase in Basis for Property
Received From a Decedent, refer to the
information provided by the executor or see
Pub. 4895, Tax Treatment of Property
Acquired From a Decedent Dying in 2010,
available at IRS.gov/pub/irs-prior/
p4895--2011.pdf.

Line 3
Enter on this line the amount of insurance or
other reimbursement you received or expect
to receive for each property. Include your
insurance coverage whether or not you are
filing a claim for reimbursement. For
example, your car worth $2,000 is totally
destroyed in a collision. You are insured with
a $500 deductible, but decide not to report it
to your insurance company because you are
afraid the insurance company will cancel
your policy. In this case, enter $1,500 on this
line.

If you expect to be reimbursed but haven't
yet received payment, you must still enter
the expected reimbursement from the loss.
If, in a later tax year, you determine with
reasonable certainty that you won't be
reimbursed for all or part of the loss, you can
deduct for that year the amount of the loss
that isn't reimbursed.
Types of reimbursements. Insurance is
the most common way to be reimbursed for
a casualty or theft loss, but if:
Part of a federal disaster loan is forgiven,
the part you don't have to pay back is
considered a reimbursement.
The person who leases your property
must make repairs or must repay you for any
part of a loss, the repayment and the cost of
the repairs are considered reimbursements.
A court awards you damages for a
casualty or theft loss, the amount you are
able to collect, minus lawyers' fees and other
necessary expenses, is a reimbursement.
You accept repairs, restoration, or
cleanup services provided by relief agencies,
it is considered a reimbursement.
A bonding company pays you for a theft
loss, the payment also is considered a
reimbursement.
Lump-sum reimbursement. If you have a
casualty or theft loss of several assets at the
same time and you receive a lump-sum
reimbursement, you must divide the amount
you receive among the assets according to
the fair market value of each asset at the
time of the loss.
Grants, gifts, and other payments.
Grants and other payments you receive to
help you after a casualty are considered
reimbursements only if they must be used
specifically to repair or replace your property.
Such payments will reduce your casualty
loss deduction. If there are no conditions on
how you have to use the money you receive,
it isn't a reimbursement.
Use and occupancy insurance. If
insurance reimburses you for your loss of
business income, it doesn't reduce your
casualty or theft loss. The reimbursement is
income, and is taxed in the same manner as
your business income.
Main home destroyed. If you have a gain
because your main home was destroyed,
you generally can exclude the gain from your
income as if you had sold or exchanged your
home. You may be able to exclude up to
$250,000 of the gain (up to $500,000 if
married filing jointly). To exclude a gain, you
generally must have owned and lived in the
property as your main home for at least 2
years during the 5-year period ending on the
date it was destroyed. For information on this
exclusion, see Pub. 523, Selling Your Home.
If you exclude the gain and the entire gain
is excludable, don't report the casualty on
Form 4684. If the gain is more than you can
exclude, reduce the insurance or other
reimbursement by the amount of the
exclusion and enter the result on line 3.
Attach a statement showing the full amount
of insurance or other reimbursement and the
-4-

amount of the exclusion. You may be able to
postpone reporting the excess gain if you
buy replacement property. See Gain on
Reimbursement and Gains Realized on
Homes in Disaster Areas, earlier.

Line 4
If you are entitled to an insurance payment or
other reimbursement for any part of a
casualty or theft loss but you choose not to
file a claim for the loss, you can't realize a
gain from that payment or reimbursement.
Therefore, figure the gain on line 4 by
subtracting your cost or other basis in the
property (line 2) only from the amount of
reimbursement you actually received. Enter
the result on line 4, but don't enter less than
zero.
If you filed a claim for reimbursement but
didn't receive it until after the year of the
casualty or theft, include the gain in your
income in the year you received the
reimbursement.

Lines 5 and 6
Fair market value (FMV) is the price at which
the property would be sold between a willing
buyer and a willing seller, each having
knowledge of the relevant facts. The
difference between the FMV immediately
before the casualty or theft and the FMV
immediately after represents the decrease in
FMV because of the casualty or theft.
The FMV of property after a theft is zero if
the property isn't recovered.
FMV is generally determined by a
competent appraisal. The appraiser's
knowledge of sales of comparable property
about the same time as the casualty or theft,
knowledge of your property before and after
the occurrence, and the methods of
determining FMV are important elements in
proving your loss.
The appraised value of property
immediately after the casualty must be
adjusted (increased) for the effects of any
general market decline that may occur at the
same time as the casualty or theft. For
example, the value of all nearby property
may become depressed because it is in an
area where such occurrences are
commonplace. This general decline in
market value isn't part of the property's
decrease in FMV as a result of the casualty
or theft.
Replacement cost or the cost of repairs
isn't necessarily FMV. However, you may be
able to use the cost of repairs to the
damaged property as evidence of loss in
value if:
The repairs are actually made,
The repairs are necessary to restore the
property to the condition it was in
immediately before the casualty,
The amount spent for repairs isn't
excessive,

The repairs only correct the damage
caused by the casualty, and
The value of the property after the repairs
isn't, as a result of the repairs, more than the
value of the property immediately before the
casualty.
To figure a casualty loss to real estate not
used in a trade, business, or for
income-producing purposes, measure the
decrease in value of the property as a whole.
All improvements, such as buildings, trees,
and shrubs, are considered together as one
item. Figure the loss separately for other
items. For example, figure the loss
separately for each piece of furniture.
Safe harbor methods for determining
casualty and theft losses. See Revenue
Procedure 2018-08, 2018-2 I.R.B. 286,
available at IRS.gov/irb/2018-02_IRB, for
safe harbor methods that you may use in
determining the amount of your casualty and
theft losses for your home and personal
belongings. See Revenue Procedure
2018-09, 2018-2 I.R.B 290, available at
IRS.gov/irb/2018-02_IRB, for the cost
indexes safe harbor method that you may
use to determine the amount of loss to your
home as a result of Hurricane and Tropical
Storm Harvey, Hurricane Irma, and
Hurricane Maria. The cost indexes provide
tables with cost per square foot for Texas,
Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina,
Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Safe harbor reporting requirements
for Form 4684. If you use one of the safe
harbor methods provided in Revenue
Procedure 2018-08, you must attach a
statement to Form 4684 stating that you
used Revenue Procedure 2018-08 to
determine the amount of your casualty loss.
Include the specific safe harbor method
used. If you use the cost indexes safe harbor
method provided in Revenue Procedure
2018-09 to calculate hurricane-related
losses, you must attach a statement to Form
4684 stating that you used Revenue
Procedure 2018-09 to determine the amount
of your casualty loss. Include the specific
table number used. When completing Form
4684, do not enter an amount on line 5 or
line 6 for each property. Instead, enter the
decrease in the fair market value determined
in the relevant safe harbor method on line 7.

Line 11
If you have a qualified disaster loss, add the
amounts on line 4 of all Forms 4684.
Compare the sum with the amount on
line 10. If the amount on line 10 is larger,
enter $500 on line 11 of the Form 4684
reporting the qualified disaster losses. If the
amount on line 10 is smaller, enter $100 and
complete the remainder of the form without
applying the special rules for qualified
disaster losses.

Line 15
Note. You will complete line 15 differently
depending on whether you have a net gain or

loss and whether you have a qualified
disaster loss.
Net gain. If line 14 is more than line 13, you
have a net gain. Report the gain as follows:
Combine your short-term gains with your
short-term losses and include the net
short-term gain or (loss) on Schedule D
(Form 1040), line 4. Estates and trusts
include this amount on Schedule D (Form
1041), line 4.
Combine your long-term gains with your
long-term losses and include the net
long-term gain or (loss) on Schedule D
(Form 1040), line 11. Estates and trusts
include this amount on Schedule D (Form
1041), line 11.
The holding period for long-term gains
and losses is more than 1 year. For
short-term gains and losses, it is 1 year or
less. To figure the holding period, begin
counting on the day after you received the
property and include the day the casualty or
theft occurred.
Generally, if you inherit property, you are
considered to have held the property for
longer than 1 year, regardless of how long
you actually held it. If you inherited property
from someone who died in 2010 and the
executor made the election to file Form
8939, refer to the information provided by the
executor or see Pub. 4895, available at
IRS.gov/pub/irs-prior/p4895--2011.pdf to
determine your holding period.
Net loss. If line 14 is less than line 13 and
you have qualified disaster losses subject to
the $500 reduction on line 11 on any Form(s)
4684:
Subtract line 14 from line 12 of the Form
4684 listing those qualified disaster losses.
The difference is your net qualified disaster
loss. Enter this amount on line 15 and on
Schedule A, line 28 (Schedule A, line 14 for
Form 1040NR filers), as “Net Qualified
Disaster Loss.”
Complete the rest of Schedule A either
by:
Itemizing other deductions as usual, or
Including the amount of your standard
deduction (see the Instructions for Form
1040, line 40, or the Instructions for Form
1040NR, line 38) on Schedule A, line 28
(Schedule A, line 14 for Form 1040NR filers),
as “Standard Deduction Claimed With
Qualified Disaster Loss.” If you are also filing
Form 6251, Alternative Minimum Tax for
Individuals, enter on line 1 of that form the
amount from Form 1040, line 41, even
though that amount has been reduced by the
standard deduction. Include the amount of
the standard deduction (before it was
increased by any net disaster loss) on
line 27.
Don’t complete the rest of this section if all
your personal casualty and theft losses are
qualified disaster losses are subject to the
$500 reduction.
If line 14 is less than line 13 and you have
no qualified disaster losses subject to the
$500 reduction on line 11 of the Form 4684,
enter -0- and go to line 16 and complete the
rest of the section.
-5-

Line 17
Estates and trusts figure AGI in the same
way as individuals, except that the costs of
administration are allowed in figuring AGI.

Section B—Business and
Income-Producing Property

Use a separate column of Part I, lines 20
through 27, to show each item lost or
damaged from a single casualty or theft
described on line 19. If more than four items
were lost or damaged, use additional sheets
following the format of Part I, lines 19 through
27.
Use a separate Form 4684, Section B,
Part I, for each casualty or theft involving
property used in a trade or business or for
income-producing purposes. Use one
Section B, Part II, to combine all Sections B,
Part I.
For details on the treatment of casualties
or thefts to business or income-producing
property, including rules on the loss of
inventory through casualty or theft, see
Figuring a Loss in Pub. 547.

Home Used for Business or
Rented Out
If you had a casualty or theft loss involving a
home you used for business or rented out,
your deductible loss may be limited. First,
complete Form 4684, Section B, lines 19
through 26. If the loss involved a home used
for a business for which you are filing
Schedule C (Form 1040), Profit or Loss From
Business, figure your deductible casualty or
theft loss on Form 8829, Expenses for
Business Use of Your Home (if you are using
Form 8829). Enter on Form 4684, line 27, the
deductible loss from Form 8829, line 34, and
“See Form 8829” above line 27. For a home
you rented out or used for a business for
which you aren't filing Schedule C (Form
1040), see section 280A(c)(5) to figure your
deductible loss. Attach a statement showing
your computation of the deductible loss,
enter that amount on line 27, and “See
attached statement” above line 27.
If you used the simplified method to
determine your deductible expenses for
business use of your home for 2017, figure
the casualty or theft loss for the home office
in Section A instead of on Form 8829 and
Section B.

Property Used in a Passive Activity
A gain or loss from a casualty or theft of
property used in a passive activity isn't taken
into account in determining the loss from a
passive activity unless losses similar in
cause and severity recur regularly in the
activity. See Form 8582, Passive Activity
Loss Limitations, and its instructions for
details.

Losses From Ponzi-Type
Investment Schemes
The IRS has issued the following guidance to
assist taxpayers who are victims of losses
from Ponzi-type investment schemes.
Revenue Ruling 2009-9, 2009-14 I.R.B.
735 (available at IRS.gov/irb/2009-14_IRB/
ar07.html).
Revenue Procedure 2009-20, 2009-14
I.R.B. 749 (available at IRS.gov/irb/
2009-14_IRB/ar11.html).
Revenue Procedure 2011-58, 2011-50
I.R.B. 849 (available at IRS.gov/irb/
2011-50_IRB/ar11.html).
If you qualify to use Revenue Procedure
2009-20, as modified by Revenue Procedure
2011-58, and choose to follow the
procedures in the guidance, first fill out
Section C to determine the amount to enter
on Section B, line 28. Skip lines 19 to 27.
Section C of Form 4684 replaces Appendix
A in Revenue Procedure 2009-20. You don't
need to complete Appendix A.
For more information, see the instructions
for Section C later and the above revenue
ruling and revenue procedures.
If you choose not to use the procedures in
Revenue Procedure 2009-20, you may claim
your theft loss by filling out Section B, lines
19 to 39, as appropriate.

Section 179 Property of a
Partnership or S Corporation
Partnerships (other than electing large
partnerships) and S corporations that have a
casualty or theft involving property for which
the section 179 expense deduction was
previously claimed and passed through to
the partners or shareholders must not use
Form 4684 to report the transaction. Instead,
see the Instructions for Form 4797 for details
on how to report it. Partners and S
corporation shareholders who receive a
Schedule K-1 reporting such a transaction
should see the Instructions for Form 4797 for
details on how to figure the amount to enter
on Form 4684, line 20.

Line 19
If you are claiming a loss from a fraudulent
investment arrangement and you are not
filling out Section C, you must enter the
name, Taxpayer Identification Number (if
known), and address (if known) of the
individual or entity that conducted the
fraudulent arrangement. Complete the rest of
Section B, Part I.

Line 20
Cost or adjusted basis usually means
original cost plus improvements, minus
depreciation allowed or allowable (including
any section 179 expense deduction),
amortization, depletion, etc. Special rules
apply to property received as a gift or
inheritance. See Basis Other Than Cost in

Pub. 551 for details. If you inherited the
property from someone who died in 2010
and the executor of the decedent's estate
made the election to file Form 8939, refer to
the information provided by the executor or
see Pub. 4895, available at IRS.gov/pub/irsprior/p4895--2011.pdf.

Line 21
See the instructions for line 3.

Line 22
See the instructions for line 4.

Lines 23 and 24
See the instructions for lines 5 and 6 for
details on determining FMV.
Loss on each item figured separately.
Unlike a casualty loss to personal use real
estate, in which all improvements are
considered one item, a casualty loss to
business or income-producing property must
be figured separately for each item. For
example, if casualty damage occurs to both
a building and to trees on the same piece of
real estate, measure the loss separately for
the building and for the trees.

If you are claiming a theft loss from a

TIP Ponzi-type investment scheme,

enter the name of the individual or
entity that conducted the fraudulent
arrangement.

Part II, Column (b)(i)
Enter the part of line 28 from trade, business,
rental, or royalty property (other than
property you used in performing services as
an employee).

Part II, Column (b)(ii)
Enter the part of line 28 from
income-producing property and from
property you used in performing services as
an employee. Income-producing property is
property held for investment, such as stocks,
notes, bonds, gold, silver, vacant lots, and
works of art.

Part II, Column (c)
On line 29, enter the part of line 22 that is
from property held for one year or less.
On line 34, enter the part of line 22 that is
from property held for more than one year.

Line 28

Line 30

If the amount on line 28 includes losses on
property held 1 year or less, and losses on
property held for more than 1 year, you must
allocate the amount between lines 29 and 34
according to how long you held each
property. Enter on line 29 all gains and
losses on property held 1 year or less. Enter
on line 34 all gains and losses on property
held more than 1 year, except as provided in
the instructions for line 33.

Include in the total any amounts from the
additional sheet you attached because you
had more than two casualties or thefts on
line 29.

If you are claiming a theft loss from a
Ponzi-type investment scheme and are
following the procedures in Revenue
Procedure 2009-20, 2009-14 I.R.B. 749,
enter on line 28 the amount from Section C,
line 51. Don't complete Section B, lines 19 to
27 of Form 4684 for that loss. You must fill
out Section B, Part II.

Part II, Column (a)
On lines 29 and 34, use a separate line to
identify each casualty or theft. If you have
more than two casualties or thefts, attach an
additional sheet following the format of lines
29 and 34.
Example. Ishmael is claiming two
casualty losses for his business property.
One loss is due to a fire in July and the other
loss is due to a hurricane in October. He fills
out one Section B, Part I, for the fire and
another separate Section B, Part I, for the
hurricane. He held the property for one year
or less. He fills out only one Section B, Part
II, to summarize the two losses he is
claiming. On line 29, he enters “Fire” on the
first line and “Hurricane” on the second line.

-6-

Line 31
If Form 4797, Sales of Business Property,
isn't otherwise required, enter the amount
from this line on page 1 of your tax return, on
the line identified as from Form 4797. Next to
that line, enter “Form 4684.”

Line 32
Estates and trusts, enter on the “Other
deductions” line of your tax return.
Partnerships (except electing large
partnerships), enter on Form 1065,
Schedule K, line 13d. Electing large
partnerships, enter on Form 1065-B, Part II,
line 11. S corporations, enter on Form
1120S, Schedule K, line 12d. Next to that
line, enter “Form 4684.”

Line 33
If you had a casualty or theft gain from
certain trade, business, or income-producing
property held more than 1 year, you may
have to recapture part or all of the gain as
ordinary income. See the instructions for
Form 4797, Part III, for more information on
the types of property subject to recapture. If
recapture applies, complete Form 4797, Part
III, and this line, instead of Form 4684,
line 34.

Line 35
Include in the total any amounts from the
additional sheet you attached because you
had more than two casualties or thefts.

Line 38a
Taxpayers, other than partnerships and S
corporations, if Form 4797 isn't otherwise
required, enter the amount from this line on
page 1 of your tax return, on the line
identified as from Form 4797. Next to that
line, enter “Form 4684.”

Section C—Theft Loss
Deduction for Ponzi-Type
Investment Scheme Using the
Procedures in Revenue
Procedure 2009-20

Fill out Section C if you claim a theft loss
deduction for a Ponzi-type investment
scheme and you meet both of the following
conditions.
You qualify to use Revenue Procedure
2009-20, as modified by Revenue Procedure
2011-58.
You choose to follow the procedures in
the guidance.
If you meet both conditions, fill out
Section C in lieu of Appendix A in Revenue
Procedure 2009-20.
For more information about claiming a
theft loss deduction from a Ponzi-type
investment scheme, see the following
guidance.
Revenue Ruling 2009-9, 2009-14 I.R.B.
735 (available at IRS.gov/irb/2009-14_IRB/
ar07.html).
Revenue Procedure 2009-20, 2009-14
I.R.B. 749 (available at IRS.gov/irb/
2009-14_IRB/ar11.html).
Revenue Procedure 2011-58, 2011-50
I.R.B. 849 (available at IRS.gov/irb/
2011-50_IRB/ar11.html).

Cash or property that you (the qualified
investor) invested in a fund or other entity
(separate from you (the qualified investor) for
federal income tax purposes) that invested in
a specified fraudulent arrangement.
For definitions of responsible group,
specified fraudulent arrangement, and
qualified investor, see Section 4 of Revenue
Procedure 2009-20.

Potential direct recovery. This is the
amount of all actual or potential claims for
recovery, as of the last day of the discovery
year (defined earlier), against the
responsible individual or group.

Line 41

Line 48

Enter the amounts of cash or the basis of
property that you invested after you made
the initial investment (including amounts
reinvested).

Line 42
Enter the total amounts of net income (for
example, interest and dividends minus
expenses) from the specified fraudulent
arrangement that, consistent with information
received from that arrangement, you
included in income for federal tax purposes
for all tax years before the discovery year,
including tax years for which a refund is
barred by the statute of limitations.
Discovery year. The discovery year is the
tax year when one of the following occurs.
The indictment, information, or complaint
described in section 4.02(1) or (2) of
Revenue Procedure 2009-20 (as modified by
Revenue Procedure 2011-58) is filed.
The complaint or similar document
described in section 4.02(3) of Revenue
Procedure 2009-20 (as modified by Revenue
Procedure 2011-58) is filed, or the death of
the lead figure occurs, whichever is later.

Line 44
Enter the total amount of cash or property
that you withdrew from the investment
arrangement in all years (whether
designated as income or principal).

Don't fill out Section C if you don't
qualify to use the procedures in
CAUTION Revenue Procedure 2009-20, as
modified by Revenue Procedure 2011-58, or
you don't choose to follow them. Instead, go
to the instructions for Section B.

Line 45

Line 40

Potential third-party recovery. This is the
amount of all actual or potential claims for
recovery, as of the last day of the discovery
year (defined earlier), that are not from
potential insurance or Securities Investor
Protection Corporation (SIPC) recovery, or a
potential direct recovery.

!

Enter the initial amount of cash or basis of
property that you invested in the investment
arrangement. Don't include any of the
following on this line, line 41, or line 42.
Amounts borrowed from the responsible
group and invested in the specified
fraudulent arrangement, to the extent the
borrowed amounts weren't repaid at the time
the theft was discovered.
Amounts such as fees that were paid to
the responsible group and deducted for
federal income tax purposes.
Amounts reported to you (the qualified
investor) as taxable income that weren't
included in gross income on the investor's
federal income tax returns.

Amounts payable from SIPC, as
advances for customer claims under the
Securities Investor Protection Act of 1970, or
by a similar entity under a similar provision.

This is the amount of your investment that is
eligible for a deduction before any actual or
potential recoveries are taken into account.

Line 46

Potential insurance/SIPC recovery. This
is the total of all actual or potential claims for
reimbursement that, as of the last day of the
discovery year, are attributable to:
Insurance policies in your name that
protect you from this type of loss;
Contractual arrangements, other than
insurance, that guaranteed or otherwise
protected against this type of loss; or
-7-

Enter the amounts you actually received as a
reimbursement or recovery from any source.
Don't include amounts that are potential
direct recoveries (defined earlier) or potential
third-party recoveries (defined earlier).

Line 49
Enter the amount of potential insurance/
SIPC recovery (defined earlier).

Line 51
Enter the amount from line 51 on line 28 of
Section B. Don't complete lines 19 to 27 for
this loss. Then complete Section B, Part II.
If you had other casualties or thefts,

TIP fill out a separate Section B, Part I,
for them.

Part II
Read the statements and declarations in this
part carefully. Enter the required information
in the spaces provided. You are agreeing to
these statements and declarations when you
sign your tax return. The information you
enter in this part will be used to verify the
fraudulent investment arrangement.

Section D—Election To Deduct
Federally Declared Disaster
Loss in Preceding Tax Year

Read the discussion under Disaster Losses,
earlier. Then fill out Section D if you want to
elect to deduct a disaster loss on your tax
return for the preceding year as long as the
loss was attributable to a federally declared
disaster, occurred in a federally declared
disaster area, and was sustained in the
disaster year. You may also fill out Section D
if you want to revoke a previous election to
deduct a federally declared disaster loss in
the tax year immediately preceding the
disaster year.

Part I—Election Statement
Fill out Part I if you want to make an election
to deduct a loss attributable to a federally
declared disaster that occurred in a federally
declared disaster area and was sustained in
the disaster year on your return for the
preceding tax year. By making this election,
you agree not to deduct the loss for the
disaster year.
Attach Form 4684 to an original return or
amended return for the preceding tax year

which takes advantage of the disaster loss
deduction.
You must make this election on or before
the date that is six months after the regular
due date for filing your original return (without
extensions) for the disaster year.

Part II—Revocation of Prior
Election
Fill out Part II if you want to revoke a prior
election to deduct a loss attributable to a
federally declared disaster that occurred in a
federally declared disaster area and was
sustained in the disaster year and reported
on your tax return for the preceding tax year.
Attach Form 4684 to an amended return for
the preceding year which eliminates the
previous disaster loss deduction. You must
file this amended return for the preceding
year on or before the date you file the original
return or amended return for the disaster
year on which you claim the disaster loss.
You can revoke the prior election on or
before the date that is 90 days after the due
date for making the election.

Paperwork Reduction Act Notice. We ask
for the information on this form to carry out
the Internal Revenue laws of the United
States. You are required to give us the
information. We need it to ensure that you
are complying with these laws and to allow
us to figure and collect the right amount of
tax.
You aren't required to provide the
information requested on a form that is
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act
unless the form displays a valid OMB control
number. Books or records relating to a form
or its instructions must be retained as long as
their contents may become material in the
administration of any Internal Revenue law.
Generally, tax returns and return information
are confidential, as required by section 6103.
The time needed to complete and file this
form will vary depending on individual
circumstances. The estimated burden for
individual taxpayers filing this form is
approved under OMB control number
1545-0074 and is included in the estimates
shown in the instructions for their individual
income tax return. The estimated burden for

-8-

all other taxpayers who file this form is
shown below.

Recordkeeping . . . . . .

2 hr., 37 min.

Learning about the
law or the form . . . . . .

43 min.

Preparing the form . . .

1 hr., 34 min.

Copying, assembling,
and sending the form
to the IRS . . . . . . . . . .

48 min.

If you have comments concerning the
accuracy of these time estimates or
suggestions for making this form simpler, we
would be happy to hear from you. See the
instructions for the tax return with which this
form is filed.