When a disaster damages your home or investment property, the IRS provides a way to recover part of your loss through Form 4684 – Casualties and Thefts. This form allows eligible taxpayers to report the decline in a property's market value due to a qualifying event such as a hurricane, flood, or other federally declared disaster. However, properly documenting that loss requires a qualified real estate appraisal. Under IRS Form 4684, taxpayers can claim a deduction based on t