The short answer
Most federal disaster help depends on a presidential disaster declaration that covers your county. FEMA's Individual Assistance can help with temporary housing, repairs and other needs not covered by insurance; you apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, by phone at 1-800-621-3362, through the FEMA app or at a Disaster Recovery Center. If USDA approves Disaster SNAP, households that do not already get SNAP can receive one month of benefits at the maximum amount for their size, and current SNAP households can often get supplements or replacements for food lost in power outages. Workers and self-employed people who lost work because of the disaster and cannot get regular unemployment may qualify for Disaster Unemployment Assistance for up to 26 weeks; apply through your state within 60 days of the declaration. The IRS usually postpones tax deadlines in declared areas automatically, and disaster losses can be deducted.
First: is your area declared?
Almost every program here starts with the same question: has the President declared a major disaster, and does the declaration include Individual Assistance for your county? Individual Assistance is the part of a declaration that helps households rather than local governments. FEMA lists every declaration and the counties it covers, and USA.gov links to the current ones.
If your county is not included, some help is still available. Your SNAP office can replace food lost to a power outage or fire, and a state may declare its own emergency. But the larger federal programs below generally need the federal declaration.
If your home was damaged or you cannot live in it
Apply to FEMA for Individual Assistance as soon as you can: online at DisasterAssistance.gov, by phone at 1-800-621-3362, through the FEMA app or in person at a Disaster Recovery Center. Have your Social Security number, your insurance details, a description of the damage, your household income and bank information for direct deposit ready.
FEMA can help with temporary housing, basic repairs to make a home safe and livable, and other disaster-caused needs that insurance does not cover. It does not replace insurance, so file your insurance claim too, and keep the paperwork: FEMA may ask for the insurer's decision. Registering with FEMA is also the first step toward a low-interest disaster loan from the Small Business Administration, which homeowners and renters, not only businesses, can apply for.
If you lost food or need help buying it
The answer depends on whether you already receive SNAP.
- You already get SNAP and food spoiled in a power outage, flood or fire. Ask your SNAP office to replace it. Households normally must report the loss within 10 days, and the replacement can be up to the value of a month's benefits. After large outages, USDA often lets states extend that window or replace benefits for whole areas automatically.
- You do not get SNAP. If USDA approves Disaster SNAP, or D-SNAP, for your area, you can apply during a short window, usually about a week, announced by the state. Eligible households receive one month of benefits equal to the maximum amount for their size, which in fiscal year 2027 is $1,023 for a family of four. D-SNAP uses its own income test, which counts disaster costs such as home repairs, temporary shelter and lost income.
- You get SNAP and the disaster cost you more. Current SNAP households cannot apply for D-SNAP, but states often give them a supplement that raises the month's benefit to the maximum for their size.
Food banks and emergency feeding sites usually open quickly after a disaster; our guide to emergency food explains how to find them, and the SNAP guide covers the regular program.
If you lost work or your business stopped
Start with regular unemployment insurance if you were an employee: it is usually the faster and larger benefit, and our guide to unemployment benefits explains how it works.
Disaster Unemployment Assistance covers people regular unemployment does not. It is available to workers and self-employed people who lived, worked or were scheduled to work in the disaster area, lost work or could not reach their job because of the disaster, and do not qualify for regular unemployment. Farmers, gig workers and small business owners often fall into this group. Benefits can be paid for weeks of unemployment up to 26 weeks after the declaration.
The deadline matters. For disasters declared on or after March 23, 2024, you generally must apply within 60 days of the declaration, or of the date Individual Assistance was added to it if that came later, through your state's unemployment agency. The state announces when claims open. Late applications can be accepted for good cause if they are filed before the assistance period ends.
If you owe taxes or have big losses
When a declaration includes Individual Assistance, the IRS usually postpones federal tax deadlines for everyone with an address of record in the covered counties, often by several months. The relief covers filing returns and paying taxes, quarterly estimated payments and some IRA contributions. You do not usually have to ask: the IRS applies it automatically and lists the new dates in a news release for each disaster.
Uninsured losses to your home, belongings and vehicles in a federally declared disaster can be deducted as casualty losses. You can claim them on the return for the year of the disaster or, by choice, on the return for the year before, which can bring a refund sooner. The loss is figured on Form 4684, and the IRS asks you to include the FEMA declaration number.
If you get Social Security, SSI or other benefits
Social Security payments continue during a disaster. Direct deposit keeps arriving even if you have evacuated, which is one reason paper checks have largely ended; our guide to electronic payments explains the options. If you have moved, tell Social Security your new address.
If your home or your income changed, report it to each program that pays you. A household on SSI, Medicaid or housing assistance may have its benefits recalculated, and our guide to reporting changes explains the deadlines.
If your documents were lost or destroyed
Applications go faster with documents, but losing them does not stop you from applying. FEMA, SNAP offices and unemployment agencies can often check your identity and income in other ways, so apply first and replace papers as you go.
- Social Security card. A replacement is free, and you may not need the card at all if you know the number; our guide to replacing a Social Security card explains the options.
- Past tax returns. Free transcripts are available through your IRS online account, and after a declared disaster the IRS usually waives its fee for copies of returns already filed.
- Birth and marriage certificates. These come from the vital records office of the state where the event happened, not from a federal agency.
Write down which documents you have asked for and when, so you can tell an agency what is on its way.
Keep a record of everything
- Photograph the damage before cleaning up, and keep receipts for repairs, hotels and replacement items.
- Write down every application with the date, the program and any number you were given.
- Keep copies of insurance decisions, which FEMA and other programs may ask to see.
- Watch for scams. FEMA and the IRS do not charge to apply, and real inspectors carry identification. Our guide to benefit scams shows the common ones.
Common questions
Can I get Disaster SNAP if I already receive SNAP?
No. Current SNAP households are not eligible for D-SNAP, but the state often gives them a supplement up to the maximum benefit for their household size, and it can replace food lost in the disaster.
How long do I have to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance?
For disasters declared on or after March 23, 2024, generally 60 days from the declaration, or from the date Individual Assistance was added if later. Apply through your state's unemployment agency; late claims can be accepted with good cause.
Do I have to ask the IRS for more time to file after a disaster?
Usually not. When a declaration includes Individual Assistance, the IRS postpones deadlines automatically for taxpayers with an address in the covered counties and announces the new dates.
Official sources
Register first, sort out the details later
Programs with short windows come first: FEMA registration, D-SNAP if it opens, and Disaster Unemployment Assistance within its 60 days. The tax relief usually takes care of itself. Once the emergency passes, check whether your household now qualifies for regular help; the SNAP calculator and the unemployment calculator give a quick estimate.
