Tax Center to open Feb. 1 Published Jan. 27, 2011 By Staff Sgt. Bradley Hill 4th Fighter Wing Legal office SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Tax season is upon us! Volunteers from the 4th Fighter Wing will once again provide free tax help, to include electronic filing, for active-duty, retired, National Guard and Reserve members serving under Title 10 U.S.C. and their families. Although the concept of filing federal or state income taxes can be intimidating to many, volunteers from the Seymour Johnson community are trained and up to speed on the latest IRS tax law issues. Trained by Internal Revenue Service Internal Revenue representatives, volunteers are ready to tackle military specific tax issues, such as combat zone tax benefits and the effect of the new Earned Income Tax Credit. The Tax Center, located at 1815 Wright Brothers Ave, Building 3621, will be open for business on Feb. 1 and will remain open until April 18. From Feb. 1 through Feb. 4, (the first week of operation), the Tax Center will offer walk-in filing service to 1040EZ Filers only. An EZ Filer is a single person with no dependents and employment-related income only. From Feb. 7 until April 18, the Tax Center will offer walk-in service to all filers eligible for volunteer tax assistance. Walk-in service is available Monday through Friday, from 0830 - 1130 and 1230 - 1530. Items to bring to the Tax Center to have a tax return prepared: · Military identification card · Social Security Cards for you, your spouse and dependents and/or a Social Security Number verification letter issued by the Social Security Administration · Individual Taxpayer Identification Number assignment letter for you, your spouse and dependents · Proof of foreign status, if applying for an ITIN · Birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents on the tax return · Wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, from all employers · Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099) · A copy of last year's federal and state returns if available · Bank routing numbers and account numbers for direct deposit · Total paid for daycare provider and the daycare provider's tax identifying number (the provider's Social Security Number or the provider's business Employer Identification Number) · To file taxes electronically on a married-filing-joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms. · If filing for a deployed spouse, you must have a Power-of-Attorney. Please consult the legal office at (919) 722-5322 or call the IRS toll-free at (800) 829-1040 for assistance downloading a POA from their Web site - www.irs.gov. Failure to bring any of the above documentation may result in rescheduling your appointment. Please keep in mind that volunteers are trained and tested in basic, current tax law using IRS material but will not answer technical questions for which they have not been trained. Additionally, due to IRS guidelines volunteers will not prepare complicated returns including but not limited to: · Schedule C with losses · Complicated and advanced Schedule D (capital gains and losses) · Schedule E (rental income and loss (Military only) · Form SS-5 (request for social security number) · Form 2106 (employee business expenses) · Form 3903 (moving) · Form 8606 (non-deductible IRA) · Form 8615 (minor's investment income) · Form SS-8 (determination of worker status for purposes of federal employment taxes and income tax withholding) In addition to the services offered at the base Tax Center, there are a number of online resources available to assist you in filing your tax returns. You can log onto Web sites such as www.militaryonesource.com, www.irs.gov, and www.handrblock.com for free tax assistance for qualifying individuals. If you choose to go to a commercial tax preparer, be warned - programs that offer an "instant refund" or an "advance on your tax refund" can be expensive and often cost you a large percentage of your tax refund in exchange for the service. In our modern age of electronic filing and direct deposit, tax refunds can be deposited into your account in a matter of days, so you shouldn't pay extra for "instant" cash. One way to decrease the waiting time of your refund is to take advantage of the Tax Center's free electronic filing program. By simply bringing a routing number and account number to the Tax Center when you file, you can choose any checking or savings account, where your refund can be deposited. This tax season, tax volunteers stand ready and waiting to help you with all of your income tax questions and concerns. Please keep in mind the Tax Center may be closed or limit hours intermittently during the tax season due to base exercises, volunteer availability, etc. If you would like to make an appointment or request additional information, contact Staff Sgt. Bradley Hill via e-mail at bradley.hill@seymourjohnson.af.mil until the Tax Center phone number is available.