Washington
CNN
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The federal government provides a variety of assistance programs to people affected by disasters such as the two major hurricanes Helene and Milton that recently struck the southeastern United States.

To access the funding, people must submit an application to the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency.

As of Friday morning, only FEMA assistance was available for Hurricane Helene victims. People affected by Hurricane Milton should wait to apply until the official federal disaster declaration is in place – which is expected to happen later Friday.

Here’s what people need to know:

There are three ways to apply for FEMA assistance.

Florida residents affected by both hurricanes must submit two applications – one for each storm, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said Thursday.

To be eligible for assistance, people must live in a designated disaster area. According to FEMA, they or someone living in their home must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen, or qualified non-citizen.

Applicants will be asked for their Social Security number so FEMA can verify their identity.

For certain types of assistance, FEMA also certifies that the home damaged by the disaster is the applicant’s primary residence. The agency may send an inspector to inspect the damage.

Generally, FEMA assistance covers costs related to home repairs that are not covered by insurance.

The federal government administers several disaster relief programs through FEMA and the Small Business Administration.

Disaster victims may also be eligible for help from state and local groups as well as nonprofits such as the American Red Cross, which assisted 83,000 evacuees in shelters in Florida as of Wednesday evening and plans to deliver meals and supplies to affected neighborhoods once they reopen.

The State of Florida maintains its own official Florida Disaster Fund, which distributes donations to relief organizations throughout the state to support affected communities.

The federal website DisasterAssistance.gov also provides information on local resources.

The Internal Revenue Service also provides assistance to people living in FEMA-designated disaster areas. For more information, taxpayers can call the IRS Disaster Hotline at 866-562-5227.

People across Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, as well as parts of Florida, Tennessee and Virginia affected by Hurricane Helene have until May 1 to file their individual and business tax returns and make tax payments. These include 2024 tax returns, typically due in mid-April, as well as quarterly payroll and excise tax returns and quarterly estimated income tax payments.

Additionally, individuals whose property was lost or damaged in a federally declared disaster may be entitled to a casualty loss deduction and greater reimbursement. And taxpayers who have lost their records can obtain tax return transcripts online at www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript or request a copy of their tax return by filing Form 4506.

Some area small business owners may also receive help in the form of Covid-era tax credits. The IRS said Thursday that it is processing about 400,000 applications, with eligible claims totaling about $10 billion. Decisions on applications were delayed because the program was rife with fraud.

CNN’s Keely Aouga contributed to this report.

This story has been updated with additional information.