2019 tax season brings local changes

Photo By Staff Sgt. Christopher Stewart | U.S. Army Soldier accesses the IRS website in preparation for filing taxes. Soldiers should expect their W-2s to be available today, Jan. 22, 2019.  

GRAFENWOEHR, BY, GERMANY

01.22.2019

Story by Sgt. Christopher Stewart 

7th Army Training Command

GRAFENWOEHR, Germany — As the celebration of the New Year fades, the next event many have been waiting for is right around the corner: tax season.

Some changes this tax season could affect you and your family. So now is a great time to get last year’s taxes prepared to file, and the tax professionals in U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria locations are here to help.
“Grafenwoehr, Hohenfels and Ansbach will all have standing tax centers,” said Capt. Ada Lacevic, the officer in charge of the U.S. Army tax centers in Bavaria.

Currently, W-2s are available for Department of the Army civilians. Soldiers’ W-2s are expected to be released January 22, said Spc. Samson Solomon, a customer service clerk at the Tower Barracks Finance Office.

According to an Internal Revenue Service press release, despite the government shutdown, the IRS will begin processing tax returns January 28, and provide refunds to taxpayers as scheduled.

The Grafenwoehr Tax Center, located at Building 216 on Tower Barracks, is also scheduled to open January 28 at 1 p.m.

Changes to Tax Centers in 2019

The three tax centers will be limited to service members, retirees, and Department of the Army civilians who make $54,000 or less, before adjustments and exclusions.

This generally equates to Soldiers in the rank of staff sergeant and below, said Lacevic.

The only contractors eligible to services are Family Child Care providers.

The $54,000 cap applies to married couples who are filing jointly. Married couples who are filing singly, can use the tax center if each person makes less than $54,000 alone.

Tax Preparation Classes and Resources

Additionally Vilseck will have tax preparation classes for service members with a basic tax return, who want to file individually, said Lacevic. The classes are available to all service members, regardless of rank.

Classes will be held Mondays at 9:30 a.m.; and Thursdays at 1 p.m.; at the Rose Barracks Digital Training Facility, Building 355. You must RSVP for a seat in the class with the Rose Barracks Law Center by calling (DSN) 314-476-2289/3188 or commercially at [phone], or by emailing [e-mail].

For more complex tax situations that can’t be processed at the local centers, there are resources available. Professional tax software, such as TurboTax and TaxSlayer, usually have military discounts on their products, said Lacevic.

Tax Deadlines and Extensions

The IRS tax filing deadline is April 15, 2019, but persons living abroad can file for a two-month extension, putting their deadline at June 17, 2019.

Filing for an extension is highly discouraged, said Lacevic, because filers will have to pay interest on any amount due to the IRS if they file for an extension and they have not paid by April 15. The extension requires the tax filer to attach a statement to their tax documents explaining that they are serving in military duty outside the United States. For more information on an extension, go to: irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/us-citizens-and-resident-aliens-abroad-automatic-2-month-extension-of-time-to-file.

Documentation, Restrictions and Locations

To prepare for your visit to a local tax center, bring all necessary documents such as:
-Social Security Card or Individual Taxpayer Ideftification Number
-Common Access Card or Department of Defense Identification card
-A second state-issued ID card
-Tax forms, including W-2s (wage and tax statements), 1099s (interest and dividends, earning from self-employment, etc.), and 1098 (mortgage interest statements), any other documents indicating earned income (such as scholarships)
-Notarized IRS power of attorney, if married filing jointly and a spouse cannot be present
-Bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit
-IRS Intake/Interview & Quality Review Sheet (Form 13614-C) (completely filled-out)
The three tax centers cannot prepare returns with:
-More than one rental property,
-Sale of rental properties,
-Schedule C (profit or loss from business),
-Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, or
-Returns that have more than five transactions of sales of Capital Assests, such as stocks.

The three tax center locations and phone numbers, follow:

Grafenwoehr
Tower Barracks, Bldg. 216, First Floor
CIV: [phone]-0554/0551
DSN: [phone]/0551
Hours: Monday-Wednesday by appointment: 9-10:30 a.m. and 12:30-3:30 p.m.
Thursday walk-ins are accepted: 12:30-3:30 p.m.
Friday by appointment: 9-10:30 a.m. and 12:30-2:30 p.m.

Ansbach
Katterbach Kaserne, Bldg. 5817, 3rd Floor (Law Center)
CIV: [phone]
DSN: [phone]
Hours: Monday-Wednesday by appointment: 9-10:30 a.m. and 12:30-3:30 p.m.
Thursday walk-ins are accepted: 9-10:30 a.m. and 12:30-3:30 p.m.
Friday by appointment: 9-10:30 a.m. and 12:30-2:30 p.m.

Hohenfels
Bldg. 313, Warrior Way
CIV: [phone]
DSN: [phone]
Hours: Monday-Wednesday by appointment: 9-10:30 a.m. and 12:30-3:30 p.m.
Thursday walk-ins are accepted: 9-10:30 a.m. and 12:30-3:30 p.m.
Friday by appointment: 9-10:30 a.m. and 12:30-2:30 p.m.

• Date Taken: 01.22.2019
• Date Posted: 01.22.2019 08:32
• Story ID: 307765
• Location: GRAFENWOEHR, BY, DE