The Navy is looking for a few good beancounters to help shipmates do their taxes next calendar year — and save them from tax preparation fees.
Every year, the Navy trains sailors on the ins and outs of tax preparation as part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, who volunteer to advise shipmates during tax season.
The call for volunteers went out Oct. 28. Here's what you need to know about the program and your taxes:
Save money. The Navy estimates that tax preparation companies charge $170 on average to prepare and file your returns electronically.
By training sailors as tax experts available to help sailors, dependents and retirees, the service estimates they save these people more than $800,000 in tax preparation fees. They also net sailors and spouses more than $10 million in expedited tax refunds, deposited typically within two weeks.
All sailors, dependents and retirees can use the program, but the focus is on helping E-6s and below.
Looking for volunteers. Officials say that 586 sailors obtained an IRS tax preparer certification and volunteered for VITA in fiscal year 2014.
Commands can allow any sailor to volunteer, if that member can be spared from their regular duties to train as well as volunteer. Many volunteers are retirees or dependents, who can often volunteer for longer periods of time.
Who's eligible. Sailors should check with their command to see if the command is willing to spare them for training and volunteering through tax season, which runs from January to mid-April.
On the fence? Volunteers need to consider whether they have the time to obtain the certification and then consistently volunteer during tax season. Commanding officers must also agree they're able to spare the sailor a certain number of hours a week.
Train up. Volunteers must complete a self-study and certification course run by the Internal Revenue Service, which typically takes several days to complete. Each volunteer must complete the training each year they volunteer, even if they were certified in prior years. Anyone interested should contact their region's legal service office.
Deadlines. Volunteers will be needed for as long as half the year, from mid-January, when W-2 statements are released, to the April 15 deadline. VITA offices overseas typically remain open into June, as military members stationed overseas have until June 15 to file.
Volunteers are needed as early as mid-November to setup the tax prep work-stations and to complete the required certification training.
Mark D. Faram is a former reporter for Navy Times. He was a senior writer covering personnel, cultural and historical issues. A nine-year active duty Navy veteran, Faram served from 1978 to 1987 as a Navy Diver and photographer.
