Combat Center Tax Center opens

Photo By Cpl. D. J. Wu | Pfc. Anthony Maldanado, tax preparer, Combat Center Tax Center, assists a Marine with his forms before assigning them to a specific preparer at the Tax Center, Tuesday. Tax center staff are certified with the Internal Revenue Service and know military deductions Marines can utilize.  

TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, UNITED STATES

01.27.2014

Story by Cpl. D. J. Wu 

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center

TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. - The Combat Center Tax Center opened for business and began assisting Combat Center personnel with their 2013 tax returns Monday.

The Tax Center is located in building 1428 on 4th Street and provides tax return preparation assistance to service members, dependents and retirees. The Marines providing assistance are certified through the Internal Revenue Service and California State Franchise Tax Board. All returns are done free of charge and taken on a walk-in basis.

“The Marines at the Tax Center know what they are doing,” said 1st Lt. Wayne Quint, officer in charge, Combat Center Tax Center. “Our goal is to save Marines as much money as possible.”

The Tax Center is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The center will operate at these hours through the filing deadline, April 15, into late May to help those that need to file late.

The staff is also knowledgeable on military-specific taxes for both federal and state taxes. The Marines know what to look out for when it comes to military tax returns.

“It can be stressful doing your own taxes,” said Staff Sgt. Jesus Ubinas, staff non-commissioned officer in charge, Combat Center Tax Center. “We’re here to try to ease that stress and it will save them money because we do it for free.”

The cost-free returns and convenient location are some of the advantages in preparing taxes on base. The staff urges Marines, sailors and family members to file their taxes. The federal government started processing today. It is recommended that taxes be filed sooner rather than later to avoid delays in returns.

To be prepared for a tax interview, clients should bring, at a minimum, their wage statements, military identification and social security cards. For more information on the Tax Center, call 760-830-4TAX.

• Date Taken: 01.27.2014
• Date Posted: 01.30.2014 18:24
• Story ID: 119882
• Location: TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, US