19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Tax season is right around the corner. This part of the year can be very stressful and overwhelming if one is slothful at getting their documents together for filing their taxes.
Here at Little Rock Air Force Base, members who will be working at the tax center have given helpful tips to make sure everyone can get their taxes done in a timely manner and with as much ease as possible.
“The W-2s for the Air Force should be out at some point in January,” said Capt. Catherine Deist, 19th Airlift Wing chief legal assistant.
“For the tax center on base, which will be located at the Thomas Community Activities Center, Feb. 1 will be the first day for filing taxes, but people can start filing their taxes as soon as they get their W-2s.” said Capt. Tamera Kennard, 19th Airlift Wing chief of civil law
“There is a website that’s free for all military members and dependants to use to file their own taxes,” said Deist. “This website, (www.militaryonesource.com), can do Turbo Tax as well as H&R Block. It is recommended because it’s a very easy site to use. The website however, is not free for retirees.”
For those who will be using the tax center’s services, Kennard said, here are some documents needed: W-2s, proof of jury duty pay, proof of alimony received, social security statement (1099-SSA), dividend and interest statements (1099-DIV and 1099-INT), retirement distributions (1099-R), and brokerage statements (1099-B), along with statements showing when you bought and sold your investments.
Other tax documents are: HUD-1 Escrow statement for property bought or sold, summary of moving expenses, summary of educational expenses (college tuition and books not paid for by government), summary of child care, day care, or adult day-care expenses, IRA contributions (traditional, SEP, or rollovers), and student loan interest paid (1098-E).
Tax deduction documents include: health care expenses, real estate taxes, motor vehicle registration, mortgage interest paid (1098), gifts to charity (anything over $250 needs a receipt), last year’s tax preparation fees, loss of property due to casualty or theft, and gambling losses.
These documents may also be helpful to have for those using militaryonesource.com, or filing taxes on their own.
“A helpful note for military-tax filers who have rental homes,” Deist said, “is when you are renting your home, and you’re not making any money off it, and you profit, technically, if you’re renting it out for whatever the cost of your mortgage is, it’s still income. For example, if you’re renting your home out for $1, you’re making $1 per month in income, and that needs to be listed on your tax forms.” That’s a huge mistake Deist said she’s seen people make, and if they get audited, it’s a big deal.
This year the tax center is not doing rental property, so that website would be a good source for those who rent homes to use, said Deist.
“April 16 is the last day to file taxes and also the last day the tax center will be open,” said Kennard.
There are unknown penalties for not filing taxes on time, Kennard said. One can file for an extension but not through the tax center. They have to go to the IRS website at irs.gov and file for an extension on line.
“If someone is deployed in a combat zone during tax season however, they get 180 days from the day they return to file their taxes,” said Deist.
The Spousal Relief Act is something military members need to ask their personal tax preparer if they qualify for, said Deist. “We get a lot of questions about this, but it’s only for very particular situations.”
Deist and Kennard want to make known that the tax center is really for easy taxes. It would be better to use th e military one source website for the more complicated situations. It’s very easy to use, and it will ask the right questions to help you step-by-step.
For more general questions about filing taxes, one can call the legal office at 987-7886. This number however, is not for legal questions because legal advice cannot be given over the phone.
Tax season is right around the corner. This part of the year can be very stressful and overwhelming if one is slothful at getting their documents together for filing their taxes.
Here at Little Rock Air Force Base, members who will be working at the tax center have given helpful tips to make sure everyone can get their taxes done in a timely manner and with as much ease as possible.
“The W-2s for the Air Force should be out at some point in January,” said Capt. Catherine Deist, 19th Airlift Wing chief legal assistant.
“For the tax center on base, which will be located at the Thomas Community Activities Center, Feb. 1 will be the first day for filing taxes, but people can start filing their taxes as soon as they get their W-2s.” said Capt. Tamera Kennard, 19th Airlift Wing chief of civil law
“There is a website that’s free for all military members and dependants to use to file their own taxes,” said Deist. “This website, (www.militaryonesource.com), can do Turbo Tax as well as H&R Block. It is recommended because it’s a very easy site to use. The website however, is not free for retirees.”
For those who will be using the tax center’s services, Kennard said, here are some documents needed: W-2s, proof of jury duty pay, proof of alimony received, social security statement (1099-SSA), dividend and interest statements (1099-DIV and 1099-INT), retirement distributions (1099-R), and brokerage statements (1099-B), along with statements showing when you bought and sold your investments.
Other tax documents are: HUD-1 Escrow statement for property bought or sold, summary of moving expenses, summary of educational expenses (college tuition and books not paid for by government), summary of child care, day care, or adult day-care expenses, IRA contributions (traditional, SEP, or rollovers), and student loan interest paid (1098-E).
Tax deduction documents include: health care expenses, real estate taxes, motor vehicle registration, mortgage interest paid (1098), gifts to charity (anything over $250 needs a receipt), last year’s tax preparation fees, loss of property due to casualty or theft, and gambling losses.
These documents may also be helpful to have for those using militaryonesource.com, or filing taxes on their own.
“A helpful note for military-tax filers who have rental homes,” Deist said, “is when you are renting your home, and you’re not making any money off it, and you profit, technically, if you’re renting it out for whatever the cost of your mortgage is, it’s still income. For example, if you’re renting your home out for $1, you’re making $1 per month in income, and that needs to be listed on your tax forms.” That’s a huge mistake Deist said she’s seen people make, and if they get audited, it’s a big deal.
This year the tax center is not doing rental property, so that website would be a good source for those who rent homes to use, said Deist.
“April 16 is the last day to file taxes and also the last day the tax center will be open,” said Kennard.
There are unknown penalties for not filing taxes on time, Kennard said. One can file for an extension but not through the tax center. They have to go to the IRS website at irs.gov and file for an extension on line.
“If someone is deployed in a combat zone during tax season however, they get 180 days from the day they return to file their taxes,” said Deist.
The Spousal Relief Act is something military members need to ask their personal tax preparer if they qualify for, said Deist. “We get a lot of questions about this, but it’s only for very particular situations.”
Deist and Kennard want to make known that the tax center is really for easy taxes. It would be better to use th e military one source website for the more complicated situations. It’s very easy to use, and it will ask the right questions to help you step-by-step.
For more general questions about filing taxes, one can call the legal office at 987-7886. This number however, is not for legal questions because legal advice cannot be given over the phone.
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