Tax Season

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Robert Maki
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
MACDILL AFB, Fla. --  It's close to April 15 and MacDill's tax season is almost over. 

Many have procrastinated up to this point and as the deadline draws near, Team MacDill members should take advantage of tax services provided on base. 

The Retiree Activities Office has been providing free tax service to active duty and retired military members around MacDill for more than 20 years. A group of dedicated volunteers complete more than 2,500 tax returns each year, said Stephan Moore, the deputy director of Retiree Activities Office and a tax advisor volunteer. 

Filing taxes properly can be a challenge. With new changes to the tax laws, knowing what forms to use and just trying to get everything prepared can be time consuming. The convenience of having a free service on base and close to work allows a member to file taxes on time. 

"I have respect for the volunteers here," said Virginia Carter, senior budget financial analyst at Special Operations Command, who has been getting her taxes done at the retiree activities center for the last five years. "The service that they provide is as top notch as any you will find anywhere else; truly professional." 

Speaking of professionalism, Mrs. Carter said that they provided additional information, such as ways to get greater returns and extra tax deductions she might have over looked. 

"It's a blessing that they give up their time to do this," she added. "I sincerely appreciate the services they provide for free, so I always bring a token of my appreciation, like a goody bag or something." 

Mr. Moore said the biggest mistakes people make during tax time is getting the names and social security numbers wrong on the forms. 

To make the tax advisor's job a little easier, members should take a moment to organize all their material for their appointment. They should have; the current years W-2, right social security numbers and names for themselves and their dependents. It's important to have all necessary paperwork in order. This will allow members to accurately complete the process in a timely manner. 

"Couples especially need to organize all their material," said Mr. Moore. "Expenses and income, mortgage and education, investments and any other expenses all need to be organized." 

If Team MacDill servicemembers have questions or concerns when filing their taxes contact the Retiree Activities Office is there to help. With an array of services they provide during tax season, no one at MacDill should be stressing at the last minute about their tax returns. The Retiree Activities Office can be reached at 828-4555.