Accountency
  • Home
  • About
    • Book An Appointment
  • Accounting
    • Dashboard
    • Xero+Accountency
    • Xero Intro
    • AutoMagical Accounting
    • QuickBooks >
      • QuickBooks Updates
    • Store
  • Payroll
  • Taxes
    • Dashboard
    • Individuals
    • Businesses
    • Tax Stuff >
      • Individuals >
        • Income >
          • Debt Forgiveness
          • Foreign Income
          • Gambling Income
          • Unemployment
          • Other Income
        • Deductions & Credits >
          • Adoption
          • Charitable Contributions
          • Earned Income Tax Credit
          • Educational Expenses
          • Energy Tax Credits
          • Employee Business Expenses
          • Other Deductions and Credits
        • Affordable Care Act - Individuals
        • Children and Dependents
        • Death
        • Disabled Taxpayers
        • Educators
        • Health Care
        • Identify Theft
        • Marriage and Divorce
        • Military
        • Real Estate
        • Retirement Savings
        • Seniors
        • State Taxes
        • Record Keeping
        • Who Must File
        • Other Topics
      • Businesses >
        • Affordable Care Act - Businesses
        • Year-end Reporting Obligations >
          • 1099's
          • Health Insurance Premiums
          • Depreciation
          • Reimbursed Employee Business Expenses
          • Company Automobiles
        • Employment Tax Credits
        • Independent Contractors
        • Tax Credits and Deductions for Businesses
        • Other Business Topics
        • Required Business Posters
      • Amended Returns
      • IRS Notices and Problems
      • Tax Plan >
        • All About the Earned Income Tax Credit
        • 5 IRS Audit Red Flags
        • Retirement Plans for Sole Proprietors
        • Are You Claiming All of Your Tax-Deductable Business Expenses for 2015?
        • All About Past Due Tax Returns
        • Do You Need to File Form 1099s?
        • How to File an Appeal with the IRS
        • Why You Might Get a Letter from the IRS, and What to Do
        • How to File an Amended Tax Return
        • Should You Claim the Home Office Deduction?
        • How to Avoid -- And Deal with -- Identify Theft
        • Q & A: IRS Audits
        • Are You Using the Right Business Structure?
        • Starting Planning for 2015 Income Taxes Now: 5 Tips
        • What You Need to Know About Estimated Taxes
        • Contractor or Employee? How the Income Tax Obligations Differ
        • The New Form 1095-A: Reporting Health Insurance Coverage
        • Are Your Social Security Payments Taxable?
        • Do You Qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit?
        • Are You Eligible for Health Insurance Tax Credits
        • Employee Retirement Plans - Tax Advantages and Other Benefits
        • 5 Business Tax Credits You May Be Missing
        • New Business in 2012
        • Is it a Bad Debt or a Simple Revenue Loss? Telling the Difference
        • Business Taxes Add Complexity: How Will This Affect You?
      • Tax Scams

Special Tax Benefits for Armed Forces Personnel

7/15/2013

 
If you’re a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, the IRS wants you to know about the many tax benefits that may apply to you.  Special tax rules apply to military members on active duty, including those serving in combat zones.  These rules can help lower your federal taxes and make it easier to file your tax return. 

Here are ten of those benefits:

1.  Deadline Extensions.  Qualifying military members, including those who serve in a combat zone, can postpone some tax deadlines.  This includes automatic extensions of time to file tax returns and pay taxes.

2.  Combat Pay Exclusion.  If you serve in a combat zone, you can exclude certain combat pay from your income.  You won’t need to show the exclusion on your tax return because qualified pay isn’t included in the wages reported on your Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement.  Some service outside a combat zone also qualifies for this exclusion.

3.  Earned Income Tax Credit.  You can choose to include nontaxable combat pay as earned income to figure your EITC.  You would make this choice if it increases your credit. Even if you do, the combat pay remains nontaxable.

4.  Moving Expense Deduction.  If you move due to a permanent change of station, you may be able to deduct some of your un-reimbursed moving costs.

5.  Uniform Deduction.  You can deduct the costs and upkeep of certain uniforms that regulations prohibit you from wearing while off duty.  You must reduce your expenses by any reimbursement you receive for these costs.

6.  Signing Joint Returns.  Both spouses normally must sign joint income tax returns. However, when one spouse is unavailable due to certain military duty or conditions, the other may, in some cases sign for both spouses, or will need a power of attorney to file a joint return.

7.  Reservists’ Travel Deduction.  If you’re a member of the U.S. Armed Forces Reserves, you may deduct certain travel expenses on your tax return.  You can deduct un-reimbursed expenses for traveling more than 100 miles away from home to perform your reserve duties.

8.  Nontaxable ROTC Allowances.   Educational and subsistence allowances paid to ROTC students participating in advanced training are not taxable.  However, active duty pay – such as pay received during summer advanced camp – is taxable.

9.  Civilian Life.  After leaving the military, you may be able to deduct certain job hunting expenses.  Expenses may include travel, resume preparation fees and job placement agency fees.  Moving expenses may also be deductible.

10.  Tax Help.  Most military bases offer free tax preparation and filing assistance during the tax filing season.  Some also offer free tax help after April 15.

Comments are closed.

    RSS Feed


    Categories

    All
    2018 Tax Changes
    Adoption
    Affordable Care Act Businesses
    Affordable Care Act Individuals
    Affordable Care Act - Individuals
    Amended Returns
    Auto Expenses
    Business Tax Credits
    Capital Gains & Losses
    Charitable Contributions
    Children & Dependents
    Deductions And Credits
    Dept Forgiveness
    Educational Expenses
    Employee Business Expenses
    Employers
    Energy Tax Credit
    Estimated Tax Payments
    Filing Status
    Foreign Income
    Gambling Income
    Health Care
    Identity Theft
    Income
    Irs Notices And Problems
    Marriage And Divorce
    Medical & Dental Expenses
    Military
    Moving
    New Business
    Other Business
    Other Deductions & Credits
    Other Income
    Other Tax Credits
    Other Topics
    Real Estate
    Record Keeping
    Retirement
    Retirement Savings
    Seniors
    Tax Law Changes
    Tax Plan
    Tax Problems
    Unemployment
    Veterans
    Who Must File


    Author

    Accountency, LLC


  • Home
  • About
    • Book An Appointment
  • Accounting
    • Dashboard
    • Xero+Accountency
    • Xero Intro
    • AutoMagical Accounting
    • QuickBooks >
      • QuickBooks Updates
    • Store
  • Payroll
  • Taxes
    • Dashboard
    • Individuals
    • Businesses
    • Tax Stuff >
      • Individuals >
        • Income >
          • Debt Forgiveness
          • Foreign Income
          • Gambling Income
          • Unemployment
          • Other Income
        • Deductions & Credits >
          • Adoption
          • Charitable Contributions
          • Earned Income Tax Credit
          • Educational Expenses
          • Energy Tax Credits
          • Employee Business Expenses
          • Other Deductions and Credits
        • Affordable Care Act - Individuals
        • Children and Dependents
        • Death
        • Disabled Taxpayers
        • Educators
        • Health Care
        • Identify Theft
        • Marriage and Divorce
        • Military
        • Real Estate
        • Retirement Savings
        • Seniors
        • State Taxes
        • Record Keeping
        • Who Must File
        • Other Topics
      • Businesses >
        • Affordable Care Act - Businesses
        • Year-end Reporting Obligations >
          • 1099's
          • Health Insurance Premiums
          • Depreciation
          • Reimbursed Employee Business Expenses
          • Company Automobiles
        • Employment Tax Credits
        • Independent Contractors
        • Tax Credits and Deductions for Businesses
        • Other Business Topics
        • Required Business Posters
      • Amended Returns
      • IRS Notices and Problems
      • Tax Plan >
        • All About the Earned Income Tax Credit
        • 5 IRS Audit Red Flags
        • Retirement Plans for Sole Proprietors
        • Are You Claiming All of Your Tax-Deductable Business Expenses for 2015?
        • All About Past Due Tax Returns
        • Do You Need to File Form 1099s?
        • How to File an Appeal with the IRS
        • Why You Might Get a Letter from the IRS, and What to Do
        • How to File an Amended Tax Return
        • Should You Claim the Home Office Deduction?
        • How to Avoid -- And Deal with -- Identify Theft
        • Q & A: IRS Audits
        • Are You Using the Right Business Structure?
        • Starting Planning for 2015 Income Taxes Now: 5 Tips
        • What You Need to Know About Estimated Taxes
        • Contractor or Employee? How the Income Tax Obligations Differ
        • The New Form 1095-A: Reporting Health Insurance Coverage
        • Are Your Social Security Payments Taxable?
        • Do You Qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit?
        • Are You Eligible for Health Insurance Tax Credits
        • Employee Retirement Plans - Tax Advantages and Other Benefits
        • 5 Business Tax Credits You May Be Missing
        • New Business in 2012
        • Is it a Bad Debt or a Simple Revenue Loss? Telling the Difference
        • Business Taxes Add Complexity: How Will This Affect You?
      • Tax Scams