The IRS has issued frequently asked questions (FAQs) addressing the Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Discrimination Financial Assistance Program, which was created to disburse financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who experienced farm lending discrimination before 2021. (IR 2024-49, 2/23/2024; Fact Sheet 2024-5)
To be eligible to participate in the program, an individual must have experienced discrimination by USDA in USDA farm lending or be a debtor with assigned or assumed USDA farm lending debt that was the subject of USDA discrimination.
The program covers discrimination based on race, color, or national origin/ethnicity (including status as a member of an Indian Tribe); sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity; religion; age; marital status; disability; or reprisal/retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
The Discrimination Financial Assistance Program webpage contains more information about the program.
Note. The application period for the program closed on January 17, 2024.
FAQs. The FAQs cover whether:
- The program’s payments are included in the recipient’s gross income,
- Attorney’s fees paid for assistance in applying to the program are deductible, and
- The program’s payments are included in the recipient’s self-employment income.
For more information about deducting attorneys’ fees incurred in a discrimination cases, see Checkpoint’s Federal Tax Coordinator ¶ A-2629.
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