Is the cost of a new roof tax deductible after storm damage?

How a casualty loss is figured

For a personal home, the loss is generally the smaller of the drop in the property's value or your adjusted basis, minus any insurance payment you received or expect. That amount is then reduced by $100 per event and by 10 percent of your adjusted gross income, and you usually must itemize. The rules for losses from qualified disasters can differ, so check the current IRS casualty loss guidance for the year of your storm.

When this actually matters

• A widely declared disaster damaged your home and insurance paid little or nothing.
• You had a large uninsured loss, such as a big percentage deductible or a policy that paid the roof at actual cash value.
• The disaster declaration covers your county. Georgia has had several in recent years, including after Hurricane Helene in 2024.

What does not count

• A roof replaced because it was old.
• Upgrades you chose during a claim.
• A storm that was not part of a qualifying declared disaster.

Insurance timing

If you expect more insurance money, such as recoverable depreciation, you generally cannot deduct that portion. Knowing your settlement terms helps. See ACV versus RCV and recoverable depreciation.

Documentation

Keep before and after photos, the insurer's estimate and payments, contractor invoices, and the disaster declaration. This is general information, not tax advice; a tax professional should run the numbers.