If you’ve experienced a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, you may have to recover records in order to prove your losses. Doing so could help you receive federal assistance or insurance reimbursement. You may also need these files to help manage your taxes.

Here are some tips to keep in mind as you reconstruct your records:

1. Free Tax Transcripts: For those who completely lost their tax records, you can get free transcripts from the IRS. You can request them on the IRS website or by calling 800-908-9946.

2. Mortgage and Other Home Documents: You may have to recover the documents proving your home ownership. You can request these documents from your escrow company, bank, or title company.

3. Trust or Estate Documents: In order to recover trust or estate information, contact the trust attorney who supported these planning strategies.

4. Damage Proof: If you experienced any damage to your home, it’s important that you document the damage as soon as possible. Take pictures or videos of all damaged rooms and home items.

Other details may apply, and you can find more information on the IRS website.

* This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax advice. We suggest you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax advisor.