News

Base Tax Center to open Feb. 4

  • Published
  • By Robins Legal Office
It's tax time, and the Robins Tax Center is preparing to help service members and their eligible family members file 2012 returns.

The center will be open Monday through Thursday from 8 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. from Feb. 4 to April 16. The center is in Bldg. 995 - a trailer next to the old Robins Elementary School.
The center provides free tax preparation and electronic filing services to active duty personnel, reservists, National Guardsmen, retirees and eligible family members.

Reserve and National Guard members must be on Title 10 Orders in order to receive tax assistance (that applies to their eligible dependents as well).

Services will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

Those interested in having their taxes prepared should arrive at the tax center at 8 a.m. to attend a requirements briefing. Taxpayers who have all required documents on hand will be assigned an appointment; those who don't will be asked to come back at a later time.
Taxpayers should arrive at least 15 minutes prior to their appointed time to complete the client questionnaire.

The center will also offer a drop-off service for the 2012 filing season. Those who have all required documents to prepare their taxes may drop off paperwork at the tax center, and notification will be sent when the return has been completed.

If the taxpayer is deployed to a combat zone - Persian Gulf, hazardous duty area of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Albania, the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea north of 39th parallel, or Afghanistan - they have 180 days from the last day they were in the combat zone, or the last day of continuous qualified hospitalization for injury from the combat zone, to file a return.

Tax preparers are not permitted to prepare returns for taxpayers who received a 1099 Miscellaneous Business Income or Royalties, had Health Savings Account Deductions, or whose tax returns will include Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business), Complicated & Advanced Schedule D (Capital Gains & Losses), Schedule E (Supplemental Income and Loss from Rental Real Estate) or Schedule F (Farm Income or Loss).

For those eligible for assistance, it's imperative they bring the following documents and information:

· Military IDs and Social Security cards of taxpayer, spouse, and dependent children
· W-2s
· 1099s
· 1098s
· Legal documents
· Divorce decree or Form 8332 that states entitlement to claim a dependent
· Power of attorney if someone will be signing the return for you or your spouse
· Death certificate if you are filing on behalf of a deceased person
· Voided check for verification of your bank account and routing numbers.
· Child care provider's name, address, tax identification (or Social Security) number, and the amount paid
· Last year's tax return or any other useful documentation

For more information, call the tax center at 468-1831.

Military OneSource and H&R Block have also joined forces again to provide a free online tax preparation service for service members. Call 1-800-342-9647 or visit www.MilitaryOneSource.mil for details.