Tax break for drywall woes

The government may offer tax deductions for homeowners whose properties damaged by defective Chinese drywall pass the sniff test. The Internal Revenue Service said the material must be found to emit an unusual or severe concentration of chemical fumes that causes extreme and unusual damage, but that provision could mean thousands of dollars in help, according to the office of Senator Bill Nelson. He and other federal legislators sought clarification on the assistance from the IRS last month.