DOD helping its troops and employees make sense out of tax code

[unhappycamper]

DOD helping its troops and employees make sense out of tax code
By Mark Abramson, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Sunday, January 18, 2009

Figuring out your taxes may not be easy, especially when the laws are constantly changing.

This tax season is no different with some new things being added to the code. Luckily, free assistance is out there for any Department of Defense identification card holder who wants help filing.

"The biggest question that is going to come up is the rebate from last year," said Army Capt. Laura Grace, who runs the Army’s tax program for U.S. bases in Germany’s state of Bavaria. "That was estimated off of 2007 income."

Additionally, families who have had babies in 2008 are among those who could be eligible for at least another $300 under the rebate program, Grace said.

One thing new to the tax code is a first-time homebuyer credit of up to $7,500 for anyone who purchased or will purchase their first home between April 9, 2008 and June 30, 2009. The credit must be repaid within 15 years.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=60083