Soldiers have a number of special tax situations that include extensions for filing taxes when serving in a designated combat zone. Military OneSource has a section specifically designed to support military families in learning about taxes, worksheets and other tips.

Changed your address or on the move? Don’t worry about not getting your tax information late. You can access your tax statement online. As a member of the Armed Forces, you can view and print out your W2 form before it is mailed to you. Go to myPay at https://mypay.dfas.mil. You will need your personal identification number (PIN) to access your W2 form.

If you or your Soldier served in a combat zone or a qualified hazardous duty area, you can exclude certain pay from your income. This pay is generally referred to as “combat pay.”

The month for which you receive the pay must be a month in which you either served in a combat zone or were hospitalized as a result of wounds, disease, or injury incurred while serving in the combat zone. You do not have to receive the excluded pay while you are in a combat zone, are hospitalized, or in the same year you served in a combat zone.

There are many exclusions including a reenlistment bonus if the voluntary extension or reenlistment occurs in a month you served in a combat zone. The IRS has published the Armed Forces Tax Guide a special publication that you can consult to answer many of the questions you may have.

In general, the deadlines for performing certain actions applicable to a Soldier’s taxes are extended for the period of their service in the combat zone, plus 180 days after their last day in the combat zone. This extension applies to the filing and paying of a Soldier’s income taxes that would have been due on April 15. During the extension period, assessment and collection deadlines will be extended, and the Soldier will not be charged interest or penalties attributable to the extension period. For more information, visit the web page set up by the Internal Revenue Service to answer specific questions about filing extensions.

If you or your Soldier are serving in a designated combat zone, the Savings Deposit Program is an excellent way to save money as interest accrues at an annual rate of 10%. Contact your Finance Office to verify your eligibility and read more about it on the web portal.

One smart financial move is to apply for all the benefits available to you and your family.  Here’s information on a Space Camp scholarship funded by the Military Child Education Coalition.

The scholarship covers full tuition to include:

• Round trip transportation (from student’s home base to Space Camp)
• Meals
• Lodging
• Program Materials

Space Camp is a place where kids come together for a journey they will never forget. The Space Camp is an EIGHT-DAY PROGRAM that shows young men and women firsthand what it takes to be an astronaut. Activities include simulated Space Shuttle missions, training simulators, rocket building and launches, scientific experiments, and lectures of the past, present, and future of space exploration.

Space Camp is offered in Huntsville, Alabama, and takes a unique, fun and hands-on approach to learning outside the classroom – and students leave with a greater appreciation for school and their studies. Each child learns about astronauts and space travel, but they also experience something even more important: developing bonds of friendship. This is a microcosm of the life of a military child. They travel, they learn and they quickly bond into friendships that many times last for life.

Eligibility Requirements
Each student applicant must:

• Be a child of an active duty military parent or activated Army Reserve Soldier
• Be enrolled in grades 6 through 9
• Submit hand-written essay which includes why he or she should be selected, evidence of patriotism, future goals, community service, and “after camp” intentions
• Submit two letters of recommendation with contact information
• Complete and submit the application by the March 10th deadline

For more detailed information visit the Space Camp web site.

Sending the kids off to a FREE summer camp is easy on the budget!  Operation Purple camps have created lots of opportunities for children of deployed Soldiers to have fun and meet new friends.  In 2008, there were 100 weeks of camp held in 62 locations in 37 states and territories.

Camper registration begins March 24th for all Operation Purple camp locations. On March 24th all details on how to register and the necessary forms to apply for camp will be available on the Operation Purple website. Apply early to insure that your child gets a space.  There is also an email sign up that parents can register for to be reminded with the applications are available.