Photo By Rachel Larue | Army Spc. Coltin Jenkins, tax preparer, works with customers of the Joint Base...... read more read more
JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. - With about a month left in the 2015 tax season, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall’s Consolidated Tax Center is ready for crunch-time.
This year marks the first tax season for the consolidated tax center, which combines the Fort Myer and Henderson Hall tax centers into one location, and things have been running smoothly, said Capt. Lynmarie Rivera, a legal assistance attorney and officer in charge for the center. Up to last week, tax center personnel had filed more than 2,000 state and federal returns.
But with the expected increase in customers in the coming weeks, Rivera reminded those seeking the center’s services to remember all of their paperwork before coming in for an appointment.
“Many customers are forgetting to bring all of their sources of income,” she said, like W-2s or paperwork for big purchases like a car or a boat. For instance, bring all of your W-2s, and couples filing jointly must remember to get the proper power of attorney signatures.
Forgetting these items requires multiple visits and a longer process, Rivera said, which is why she advised any potential customers with complicated returns to make an appointment with the tax center.
“Some customers, who try to do their taxes at home, incorrectly input information into the programs,” she said.
And once a return is filed incorrectly, it can be tough to amend, Rivera said.
“If you are itemizing or you have a complex return with dependents, don’t use a software system because it will be more difficult to fix it,” she said. “And if you take one credit that you were not allowed then they’ll audit you or the return will come back as rejected.”
In those situations, Rivera said the tax center advises customers to file a completely new return with a tax center representative.
Rivera also advised customers to come in sooner rather than later. If a customer with a complicated return has to make return trips or forgets paperwork, they might be forced to file an extension, Rivera said.
“Let’s say that you have a tax liability and you have to pay $1,000,” she said. “Coming up with $1,000 in one week can be really difficult for most people. So if you come beforehand you can probably plan a little bit more.”
Though the center is sure to be busy as the tax season enters the home stretch, it has the manpower to complete the mission.
“We have a lot more preparers this year,” Rivera said, noting that wait times can be about 15 to 20 minutes, but are often less, because she has about 20 staffers working. “We’re doing a lot better and working a lot faster because of the amount of preparers we have this year.”
Marine Cpl. Oscar Jimenezalonso, tax preparer at the center, said the team is clicking.
“We have unit cohesion between everyone, Soldiers and Marines together, and it’s really nice,” he said. “We have competition between the branches, but it’s friendly.”
Army Spc. Coltin Jenkins said he had learned a lot about the Marine Corps since working with them at the consolidated tax center, adding that he felt great about providing a valuable service for service members, family members, veterans and retirees.
“For the military to have a free service like this is amazing,” Jenkins said.
Both Jenkins and Jimenezalonso said they were learning a lot about doing their own taxes as well.
Jenkins said he helped file a combined 200 federal and state returns so far, and that he hopes to hit 500 by the end of the season.
But both agreed that the quality of service was paramount.
“It’s not about the numbers, it’s about the quality that we’re giving to the taxpayer,” Jimenezalonso said.
Darlys Blomberg, a customer who has been using the center for years, said she’s thrilled to have such a service at her disposal.
“I’ve come here for quite a few years and they’ve always been very helpful,” she said. “Until I found out I had to pay a lot to get it done and then I found out I had this benefit. I’m really glad I have this place to go.”
The tax center provides cost-free federal and state income tax return preparation and e-filing for military personnel, their families and eligible clients throughout the 2015 tax season. Staffers will also help with itemized deductions and certain self-employment income and expenses.
Located in Building 205 at 101 Bloxon Street on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base, the tax center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The center is also open every other Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Services are also provided in Spanish.
To schedule an appointment, call 703-696-1040.
| Date Taken: | 03.19.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 03.19.2015 18:21 |
| Story ID: | 157573 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 51 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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