If you lost shade trees or had other storm or tornado related damage to landscaping on your personal property, you may qualify for a casualty loss deduction on your Form 1040.  However, under current law, your deduction is limited to the lesser of your basis in the trees or landscaping damaged or destroyed or the reduction in fair market value of the damaged or destroyed property and then only to the extent it exceeds 10% of your adjusted gross income. Ordinarily, to determine the loss in fair market value of your asset, you must obtain a qualified appraisal. The cost of obtaining a qualified appraisal is often costly and time consuming. An alternative to obtaining a qualified appraisal is to document your actual cost to restore your property (not improve, but restore) by saving all receipts for the cost of restoration to the precondition and is not improved in the process, the cost to do so has provided a basis to determine an acceptable amount for a casualty loss deduction.