Is Covid-19 a natural disaster?

[c-h_7]

I lost my job in 2020. Im still on unemployment at the end of 2021. Does Covid-19 count as a natural disaster which caused me loss of income? Did 2020's stimulus check count as the only credit due for 2020, and more importantly, is there anything I should do on my taxes for 2021 tax year? I want to make sure i get whatever i may be allowed, but the extended unemployment may be all im.entitled to.

[Critter-3 · Accepted solution]

No it's not a disaster and that would not mean anything for you if it was. 

If your only 2021 income is unemployment  then if you did not get the $1400 stimulus advance payment then you can get this credit.   If you are single and worked in 2019 there is a look back rule for the EIC ... you may be eligible for that credit if your 2019 earned income is in the correct range.

Now you didn't say but if you are claiming qualifying children on your return then the CTC is fully refundable for 2021 only .   The program will complete this automatically.

[xmasbaby0]

And....take note of the fact that the exclusion of the first $10,200 of unemployment from federal tax was only for returns for 2020.  Congress has not done anything to exclude the taxability of unemployment received in 2021 at this point.   You will need to enter the 1099G for your unemployment on your tax return----and unless Congress does something again this time you can expect your unemployment to be taxable on your 2021 return.

[c-h_7]

Thank you. I actually found it listed on the link of natural disaster declarations you find when deciding how to answer the question as to whether you were impacted by a natural disaster, but had heard nothing about tax breaks for 2021 tax year in regards to it. That could be made a bit clearer in their help notes.