Can I claim new roof cost after Hurricane Harvey? I paid deductible ~$7000 out of pocket; insurance paid the rest. My share was paid from my 2018 RMD. What to do?

[AlanT · Accepted solution]

Yes, you can deduct the amount you paid due to the casualty loss.  Please see the FAQ below.

If you took—or are planning to take—a loan or a hardship distribution from your retirement plan to cover disaster-related expenses, here are some issues to consider:

• Loans are not taxable—if you repay them in full within the given time period.
• Hardship distributions generally are taxable. However, if you were affected by the wildfires, you may not have to pay any withdrawal penalty.
• If you took money from a retirement plan to purchase or construct a home but it never happened because of the wildfires, you may be eligible to place the money back ("re-contribute to the plan") without penalty.

Due to the specifics of each plan, the above is only an overview. For full details, you must contact your plan administrator as soon as possible—some of this relief is date dependent.