Tax season uhg-ain . . .

[Pugs]

live free or die. I wish ...

Funny, you use that. New Hampshire is another income free and sales tax free state. Folks say the property taxes are high but up there on vacation last summer I stopped in a realitor to look and houses that were the same value as my place in MD had taxes about 30% lower.

 

[MasterBates]

As a FL resident, what do you do put in that block? I've always used VITA on base, therefore, I guess they have always filled that in for me.



How do you claim that?

It is always good to learn about things that will reduce what I owe. Thanks ahead of time MB!

There is a table for local/state sales tax, how much you are allowed to claim, based on your income and local tax rate. I can claim about 1200 in sales tax paid based off the table. Dont forget to add the local rate to the state rate if applicable.

You can either claim ALL tax paid if you save your reciepts for everything, or the amount based off the tables, plus "big ticket" items.

Since I do a lot of shopping at the NEX, and don't save every reciept, I claimed the table, plus about another 1000 in sales tax between the sales tax on my pickup I paid $10,500 for, and a $3000 washer/dryer set.

 

[MasterBates]

Also, I tried to used VITA once, and they dorked up my return.

If you are a single E-4 living in an apartment just claiming your basic exemption, and tax free, they are fine.

If you have a "complcated" return, as in you are itemizing more than your mortgage, they are no tso good.

Remember you can write off:

Sales Taxes
State Taxes
Registration fees based off value
Property Taxes
Mortage Interest
Student loan interest (only the first $2500 )
Alimony/Spousal Support

I suggest reviewing EVERY slide in the online tax programs.. The "interview" skipped the sales tax, becasuse I live in FL so it skipped over local/state taxes paid. That was worth about $300.

 

[flynsail]

Here is an additional refund for most of you reading this, if you do not already know about it:

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=161506,00.html

It deals with federal excise tax refund on telephones. It is not much, unless you have about 41 months of phone bills saved. Either way, $30-$60 extra refund is always nice.

 

[fc2spyguy]

bump, same deal this year

 

[MasterBates]

Just did it.. Waiting until Monday to file, because it does not have the Sales Tax tables ready yet.

Don't forget "table plus big ticket" for Sales Tax usually works out best for Military, especially if you do a lot of shopping on base.

 

[FLYTPAY]

Remember you can write off:

Sales Taxes
State Taxes
Registration fees based off value
Property Taxes
Mortage Interest
Student loan interest (only the first $2500 )
Alimony/Spousal Support

Don't forget that since you are required to have a recall #, your cell phone. And if you invest at all.....your computer is depreciable and your internet access deductible.

 

[MasterBates]

Ooh, forgot that.. I'll be adding it as well.

Does TSP count as investing? I use my laptop to access it via PumaNet..

Can I write off my Cell phone if its my only phone? I need internet for work, as its how we check the flight sked and weather.

 

[FLYTPAY]

Ooh, forgot that.. I'll be adding it as well.

Does TSP count as investing? I use my laptop to access it via PumaNet..

Can I write off my Cell phone if its my only phone? I need internet for work, as its how we check the flight sked and weather.

TSP is investing. You can write off your cell. And you need the net for work. Don't forget haircuts, and meals and hotels while on out-and-in + x-country.

 

[MasterBates]

Whats an Out/In or XC?

Have not seen those since 02. They still happen?

 

[Brett327]

Whats an Out/In or XC?

Have not seen those since 02. They still happen?

All the time.

Brett

 

[FLYTPAY]

Whats an Out/In or XC?

Have not seen those since 02. They still happen?

You have bot done any in RI's? They are required in AN/IR so youwill see them soon. Nice thing about jets is you can go 300 miles and back and its nothing where in a helo, it takes an entire day/weekend.

 

[HH-60H]

Ooh, forgot that.. I'll be adding it as well.

Does TSP count as investing? I use my laptop to access it via PumaNet..

Can I write off my Cell phone if its my only phone? I need internet for work, as its how we check the flight sked and weather.

No, you can't write off your cell phone. The only time you can write off dual use items (home/work) is when you keep detailed records of when you used it for work and when you used it for personal matters. Even still if the majority of your phone use is personal then you can't write it off.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/money/taxcenter/article171204.html

In fact, you can't even write off most military uniforms because you can "technically" wear them as civilian clothes.

 

[HH-60H]

TSP is investing. You can write off your cell. And you need the net for work. Don't forget haircuts, and meals and hotels while on out-and-in + x-country.

You can't write off meals and hotels if they are reimbursed by the government. You also can't write off the internet because you use it to check the weather once in awhile. Almost all of your tax advice is wrong.

 

[fc2spyguy]

In fact, you can't even write off most military uniforms because you can "technically" wear them as civilian clothes.

question: how do we "technically" wear them as civilain clothes? I'm not getting that one.