Tax Tips for Troops

Taxes are the probably the last thing a military family is thinking about when one of their own is called into combat–and that’s all the more reason for you to stay on the ball.

What are the tax rules for active-duty soldiers? First of all, troops on active duty have 180 days from the date they leave the combat zone in which to file their federal (and some states’) income tax returns without penalty, says Peter Traphagen, of Traphagen &Traphagen in Oradell, New Jersey. The troops should simply attach a copy of his deployment orders along with the tax return, says Ron Pearson of Beach Financial Advisory in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

If the spouse still wants to file on time, “she can file the return of the serviceman just by attaching a note saying that she is the spouse and her husband is in combat,” Traghagen says; no power of attorney is required. The IRS recommends that the person filing the return write “Enduring Freedom” across the top of the tax return so that it can be readily identified.