Free tax preparation available to servicemembers Published Jan. 22, 2009 By Tech. Sgt. Denise Spaulding 4th Fighter Wing Legal Office SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- As we are all winding down after the holidays, it can only mean one thing-- income tax season is right around the corner. Volunteers from the 4th Fighter Wing will provide free tax help, including electronic filing, for active-duty, retired and reserve servicemembers and their families. Although the concept of federal or state income taxes can be intimidating, volunteers from all sections of the Seymour Johnson community attended Internal Revenue Service training in January. Now that they are up to speed on the latest and greatest that the IRS has to offer, taxpayers can stand to benefit from their expertise. The volunteers are trained and equipped to address military-specific tax issues, such as combat zone tax benefits and the effect of the new earned income tax credit guidelines. New items to consider this year when filing taxes are the recovery rebate credit and first-time homeowner's credit. In addition, the volunteers are trained to assist taxpayers who may have to file multiple state tax returns. The tax center, located at 1535 Wright Brothers Ave, Building 3636, will open in February. From Feb. 3 to April 15, the center will offer walk-in filing service on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Volunteers will prepare federal and state income taxes free of charge for all identification card holders. The Tax Center will be closed during the weeks of February 9-13 and March 9-13 for base inspections. In addition to the services offered at the center, there are a number of online resources available to assist tax filers. Free assistance to qualifying individuals can be found at www.militaryonesource.com, www.irs.gov, and www.handrblock.com. Be wary of commercial tax preparers who offer instant refunds or advances on tax refunds. These programs are expensive and sometimes take a large percentage of the refund in exchange for the service. In our modern age of electronic filing, tax refunds can be deposited in your account in a matter of days. There is typically no reason to pay extra for the "instant" cash. One way to decrease refund waiting time is to take advantage of the tax center's free electronic filing program. By simply providing a routing number and account number, taxpayers can deposit their refunds in any checking or savings account. This tax season, tax volunteers stand ready and waiting to help with all income tax questions and concerns. They will certainly take some of the worries of tax season off of your mind. There are a few substantial documents volunteers will need to prepare taxes. Some of the most common are: · A copy of social security cards for taxpayer, spouse, and all dependents · Form W-2 from each employer. Active-duty members may obtain this from www.mypay.dfas.mil · Childcare expense information. You will need name, SSN and address of the childcare provider · A check (or account and routing numbers) to set up direct deposit for returns · A copy of last year's tax return Supporting documentation for any additional sources of income such as rental property or sales of stocks must be provided to prepare an accurate return. For additional information, contact Tech. Sgt. Denise Spaulding at 722-5322.