Tax center opens

  • Published
  • By Capt. Graham H. Bernstein
  • Judge Advocate
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --  The Hill Air Force Base Tax Center is open and will remain open for business through April 15, the last day income taxes can be filed without being assessed an additional interest or other penalty (unless you have requested an IRS extension and it has been approved). Walk-in clients will be accepted from 8:00 a.m. through 3:00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. The Tax Center will be closed on weekends and federal holidays. Additionally, the Tax Center will be on minimal manning during the upcoming ORE (5-12 Feb 09).

The Tax Center is open to all active duty military members, dependents, and retirees. Services are limited to those making a gross income of $100,000 or less. The Tax Center provides assistance on a walk-in basis only. Walk-ins may be cut off earlier than 3:00 p.m. during especially busy days in order to ensure completion of all clients' taxes that business day.

Although the concept of federal income taxes can be intimidating to most, volunteers from all sections of the Hill community have answered the call to assist airmen and their families with their tax concerns. Volunteers have undergone extensive IRS training and are now certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistants (VITAs). The VITAs will be preparing income tax returns, free of charge, for all active duty military members, dependents, and retirees with military identification cards. Not only will they be available to assist you, the VITAs will have critical IRS information readily available on topics such as the Earned Income Credit, Additional Child Credit, deductions and other important financial aspects that may be on your mind.

The VITAs will need some documents in order to prepare your taxes. Some of the most common are: a copy of Social Security cards for the taxpayer, spouse and all dependents; a voided check if you desire direct deposit of your return; childcare/daycare expenses information along with the name, address, and SSN of the childcare provider; form W-2 from each employer (active duty members may obtain this from https://mypay.dfas.mil), 1099R for retirees, interest and dividend statements, plus any other proof of income as it applies to you. For those itemizing you will have to provide your mortgage interest statement, real estate taxes paid, charitable giving statements, and other expenses as applicable. If you are not sure what you can deduct, bring a copy and the volunteers will help determine if the IRS allows that deduction. If you are filing a tax return under a Power of Attorney, be sure to bring an extra copy of your PoA with you. This will not be returned to you.

Please note, although it is possible for the spouse of a deployed member to file jointly without a PoA - IRS Form 2848 - or their deployed spouse's signature on the return, the Tax Center will only prepare jointly filed returns for deployed members' spouses if they have a PoA or IRS Form 2848. For more information on this topic please see the forthcoming Hilltop Times Article "Tax 101 for Deployed Airmen," or contact the Legal Assistance Office @ 777-6626.

If you have any additional sources of income, such as rental property, sales of stocks, or any other income source, supporting documentation must be provided to prepare an accurate return. Business owners should note that the VITAs will prepare Schedule C-EZ, but not Schedule C. Please see www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040sce.pdf for more information about who is eligible to file a Schedule C-EZ instead of Schedule C for reporting business profits.

One way to decrease the waiting time for your tax refund is to take advantage of the Tax Center's free electronic filing program. By simply bringing a voided check to the Tax Center when you file, you can choose any checking account, regardless of location, in which to deposit your return.

You should be prepared to give consent to the limited use of your information for Air Force and IRS statistical purposes; this consent will not include any personal identifiable information. If you are not willing to give consent then the VITAs will be unable to electronically file your return for you.

The Tax Center is located in building 430, the Customer Support Center, commonly known as the old BX, on 6th Street, just across from the Burger King. Upon entering the building take your first left and walk all the way to the end of the hall.

For more information, call the Tax Center at 586-8634 from January 23 through April 15.