Tax volunteers ready to lend talents to Kadena taxpayers

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jason Lake
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  It's tax time again, and volunteers at the Kadena Tax Center are gearing up for another season of lending their tax-preparation talents to base residents.

With the April 15 tax-filing deadline quickly approaching, the Kadena Tax Center offers FREE services to military members, civilian employees and their families. The center is located on Wilkins Street in Bldg. 1460 behind Eagle Hardware.

Through April 15, the center is open Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Customers are required to make appointments for Saturdays. Taxpayers with rental property and home daycare providers will be seen by appointment only.

Elaine Reeves, Kadena's Chief tax advisor, encourages customers to use this free service, especially as state returns can be prepared and filed at the same time as federal returns.

Compared to filing online with software, Mrs. Reeves said the tax center's 50 volunteers offer advice and tax preparation services for both federal and the typically more complicated state returns. They also ensure taxpayers have the correct filing status to ensure that all eligible deductions are taken and within regulations.

Reeves said e-filers can expect to see refund deposits in their account within 10-14 days if done through direct deposit, or 3-4 weeks for a check to arrive in the mail. If a return is mailed to the Internal Revenue Service on paper, filers should expect to get a check within 6-8 weeks.

Customers should bring all pertinent information needed to file their return, including W-2s, any 1099 statements, bank account information for direct deposit, a power of attorney if spouse will not be present to sign, and social security cards for themselves and all dependents. Customers with foreign spouses who work on the local economy should know the total foreign earned income, and should have their spouse's tax identification number.

For those who purchased or sold stock during 2009, the tax center needs to know when and how much stock was purchased or sold last year prior to filing taxes at the tax center.

American citizens working overseas receive an automatic 60-day extension to file their returns, but the April 15 deadline still applies to those who owe taxes. If the payment is late, the balance owed will accumulate interest and penalties.

For military members serving in a combat zone, the deadline for paying taxes or filing a refund has been extended at least 180 days after the last day they were in a combat zone, or the last day of any continuous qualified hospitalization for injury from service in a combat zone.

In addition to the 180 days, the deadline is also extended by the number of days left to take action with the IRS before you entered the combat zone. For example, if a military member entered a combat zone Jan. 1, then three-and-a-half months would be added to the 180-day extension.

Some other tidbits taxpayers should keep in mind this year:

. Standard deductions and exemptions this year have increased.

. Earned income credit has increased for tax year 2009 and 2010.

. First time homeowner's credit has been extended for military members. The credit is extended until April 30, 2011 for qualified personnel who are on official extended duty outside the United States.

. Kadena Tax Center is open all year to prepare your federal and state tax return.

For more information, call the center at 634-7418, or contact your unit tax advisor.