While tax-preparation companies have begun their annual saturation of TV and other advertising, service members – in most cases – may be able to tune those spots out.
"We definitely recommend using the free services we provide," said Army Lt. Col. Samuel Kan, executive director of the Armed Forces Tax Council. "We don't want people to unnecessarily spend money to get their taxes done when they can get their taxes done for free by people who are trained up."
In addition, there's a quality reviewer who checks the tax preparer's work, Kan said: "The more eyes that see your return, the more likely you'll catch mistakes," he said.
The tax centers will also file the taxes electronically for free.
Through the services' legal community, tax preparers on military installations are trained through the Internal Revenue Service's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, program.
These military tax preparers are also very familiar with tax exclusions and other situations specific to the military, such as combat zone tax exclusions. They’re also used to filing multiple state tax returns, which is often the case for military couples.
"If the person who is preparing their taxes doesn't know an answer to a question, there's a significant chain of command that [the preparer] can use," Kan said.
That includes representatives from each of the service branches who sit on the Armed Forces Tax Council.
"If there are issues, it comes up to us. We engage the IRS every day, and if there are issues we addresses those issues and resolve them," he said. For those in the military community, he said, "there's probably not a better source of information than the military because we have that direct link with the IRS and we work hand in hand with them. … There's no reason to go to a paid tax center."
There is no income requirement to get your taxes done for free at a military VITA tax center; civilian centers have strict income limitations and other eligibility requirements.
You aren't limited to the tax center at the installation where you're stationed. If there are multiple bases in your area and the tax center at your installation can't fit you in, or you live closer to a different base, try there.
Tax centers will help you regardless of branch of service, and some will prepare taxes for free for retirees, if they have the manpower available. If you want to prepare your taxes yourself, go through Military OneSource to get free tax software. You must be eligible for the free Military OneSource services – that covers active-duty troops, Guard and Reserve members, and their
families.
Retirees and other veterans are eligible for services under Military OneSource for up to 180 days after leaving
the military.
Visit www.militaryonesource.mil or call 800-342-9647 for access to the software. Through OneSource, you also have access to free confidential tax consultation. These MilTax experts can answer any tax-related questions you may have as you're preparing your tax returns. You can get the tax help online or by calling 800-342-9647.
Karen has covered military families, quality of life and consumer issues for Military Times for more than 30 years, and is co-author of a chapter on media coverage of military families in the book "A Battle Plan for Supporting Military Families." She previously worked for newspapers in Guam, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fla., and Athens, Ga.
