Internal Revenue Service agent Patrick Price instructs volunteer sailors on how to assist in filing income tax returns, part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. VITA is a service in which active duty military families can get free assistance in completing their taxes. (Tim Wightman / S&S)
Internal Revenue Service agent Patrick Price instructs volunteer sailors on how to assist in filing income tax returns, part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. VITA is a service in which active duty military families can get free assistance in completing their taxes. (Tim Wightman / S&S)
First class petty officers Corey Gronli, left, from Defense Distribution Yokosuka Japan, and Carey Gibson from Naval Air Facility Atsugi, work on getting their Volunteer Income Tax Assistance certifications Thursday in a classroom on Yokosuka Naval Base. (Tim Wightman / S&S)
YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — Four days with an Internal Revenue Service agent has some Yokosuka and Atsugi sailors prepared to assist others this tax-filing season.
Nearly 50 sailors received certification last week in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program at Yokosuka Naval Base.
The VITA program gives active-duty servicemembers and their families free income tax assistance with the help of trained volunteers. The volunteers — junior and senior enlisted sailors — receive their certification after testing 80 percent or better in four exams.
The topics on the tests cover such military-specific issues as combat pay and international issues like foreign income.
"We try to point out to them things to ask the taxpayer and teach them to interview the taxpayer, to get the information out of them so they can figure out the taxpayer’s situation," said Patrick Price, the IRS tax consultant who flew in from the States to conduct the training.
"It’s a lot to cover in four days," he said
According to program coordinator Lt. j.g. Jesse Adams, the volunteers also will receive training before tax season starts on how to help people use the Military One Source Web site, a free online resource where servicemembers can file their tax returns on their own.
Servicemembers will have the option when using the tax assistance program to do their taxes through a volunteer or sit down at a computer and have a volunteer show them how to use the Web site.
"We’re trying to help sailors learn how to use and get comfortable with that service," Adams said. "Part of this program is to teach people to be self-sufficient and get them to where they’re comfortable doing their own taxes eventually."
Volunteer Corey Gronli, a first-class petty officer attached to Defense Distribution Yokosuka, said he’s happy to help.
"We’re going to be providing a valuable service to the base," Gronli said. "We’ll be able to help out people who look at their taxes as an overwhelming task. We can simplify it by showing them it’s really easy and something that they can do."
The assistance program will run from Feb. 3 to June at Yokosuka, said Adams.
Naval Air Facility Atsugi hasn’t yet determined when its service will be available.
To volunteer, call DSN 243-9368.
Need tax help? Here’s where to go:Yokota Air Base: The Yokota Tax Center, located in the base legal office at Building 315, is expected to open by Feb. 10, but an official date hasn’t been announced. The tax center is manned entirely by volunteers, both active duty and civilian. The IRS will conduct a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) training seminar Jan. 20-23 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Taiyo Community Center. Anyone interested in volunteering this year should attend this conference. For information, call DSN 225-8069.
Misawa Air Base: The base tax center in Building 514 will open Jan. 26 for those filing 1040-EZ and 1040-A forms only. Officials also will begin scheduling appointments for other filers on that date. Call DSN 226-2513 or 226-3948 for information.
Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni: Tax assistance begins Feb. 1 inside the base’s Law Center, open during normal duty hours. Walk-ins are accepted. For more information, call 253-5591.
Sasebo Naval Base: The dates and location of the base’s tax assistance program are still undetermined, officials said Friday.
Camp Zama: The base’s tax assistance program is tentatively scheduled to begin Feb. 4. The Tax Assistance Center is located at USARJ Headquarters at Building 101 at the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate client services division. For more information, call (DSN) 263-1040 or visit www.usarj.army.mil/cmdstaffs/sja/clientservices.aspx.
Naval Air Facility Atsugi: The dates and location of the base’s tax assistance program are still undetermined, officials said Friday.
Yokosuka Naval Base: The base will offer free tax help beginning Feb. 3 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Building B39A, Room 219, next to the Chief Petty Officer Club on King Street. Active-duty servicemembers, their dependents, retirees and stateside hire civilian employees are all eligible for assistance. For information and to schedule an appointment, call 243-5141. Hours are subject to change and based on volunteer availability.
From staff reports
