Free tax assistance available for servicemembers Published Feb. 26, 2010 By Senior Airman Nathanael Callon 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs SPANGDHALEM AIR BASE, Germany -- Whether procrastinating until the last minute or planning ahead, there are many free opportunities for servicemembers to prepare their taxes. "The deadline for overseas active-duty members is June 15," said Staff Sgt. Shonna Vance, 52nd Fighter Wing Legal Office and member of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. "The VITA office will continue to schedule appointments until that deadline." When reviewing tax documents, it may be helpful to consult the Airman & Family Readiness Center to maximize savings throughout the year. "If you get back a large tax return, you are paying too much for taxes," said Jason Gunnarson, A&FRC representative. "Instead of getting the one check a year, consider claiming exemptions and save that extra money over the course of the year." By doing this, the money saved will collect interest and you will earn more, he added. Setting up an appointment VITA provides free tax preparation, filing, advice and other services to the Spangdahlem community. If you have a complex tax file this year, the VITA office has trained representatives that can assist you. VITA is located in the base legal office, and appointments can be made by calling DSN 452-1040. If you plan on filing your taxes through the VITA office, the following items should be readily available: - Photo identification - Social security numbers for the sponsor, spouse and dependents, if applicable - Wage and earning statements from all employers - Federal and state tax returns for the previous year, if possible - Interest and dividend statements from all banks - A voided check or other form of account and routing numbers for direct deposit - Total amount paid for childcare, including provider's tax ID number or SSN - Tuition receipts for secondary education Web-based tax preparation The Military OneSource Web site offers H&R Block At Home, an online tax filing system servicemembers and their families can access for free. Military OneSource also has a tax hotline that can answer any questions and is available seven days a week 7 a.m. - 11 p.m. by calling 1-800-730-3802. Taxslayer.com provides free electronic federal and state tax filing for active-duty members. This service includes reserve and guard components on permanent active duty status. The Internal Revenue Service Web site also lists numerous sources for web-based tax preparation. For more information about web-based tax preparation, visit www.militaryonesource.com and www.irs.gov.