Tax time: Tinker’s VITA office set to open Feb. 8

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  • 72nd Air Base Wing Legal Office

Completing and filing tax forms can be painless, simple and free for those who use the Tinker Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Office, even during the coronavirus pandemic.  

The VITA program provides tax preparation and electronic filing for active duty military, retirees and their dependents by appointment. The tax office will prepare federal, Oklahoma resident and Oklahoma non-resident returns

This year there will be a limit on adjusted gross income. Single filers must have an AGI less than $85,000. Married couples filing jointly must have an AGI less than $175,000 and the AGI for married couples who file separately must be less than $85,000 per person.

Due to the pandemic, the VITA program has adjusted services to protect customers, the installation and its personnel. The program will be open from Feb. 8 through April 9, 2021.

In person appointments for the limited purpose of doing document intake and verification will be on from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, excluding all federal holidays. The remainder of the tax service will be completed telephonically and through email to the fullest extent practicable. These appointments may be scheduled on or after Jan. 27 by calling 405-739-7754. There will be no walk-ins accepted.

Appointments are limited to eligible clients who have simple schedules with some restrictions listed below:       

Income from rentals will be limited to only one property. You must provide the depreciation worksheet from prior year and/or a copy of your prior year tax return (regardless of where you filed), as well as a list of expenses. If it is a first year rental, you must know the value of your house minus the value of the land that the house is occupying (usually can be found on the tax assessor tax bill).

Privately-owned businesses (daycare, Avon, Pampered Chef, etc.) must not have expenses in excess of $5,000, cannot have an inventory to claim and cannot claim a loss.

Stock Sales. You must have a 1099B and must have Cost Basis for each stock sold.

The VITA office cannot prepare returns with the following: farm income; Uber, Lyft or Airbnb; foreign taxes; excluded foreign earned income; income reported on Schedule K-1; mineral royalties other than oil and gas; and non-Oklahoma state returns.

Taxpayers should bring the following items to their appointments:

  • DOD ID cards.
  • Social Security cards for all individuals listed on their tax return or a photo copy.
  • W2, 1099R, 1099INT, 1099MISC, 1099G (income documents).
  • Heath care verification IRS Form 1095B or C.
  • Last year’s return.
  • Bank account routing and account number for direct deposit/debit.
  • Receipts for those who moved, child and dependent care expenses, college tuition and fees or Form 1098-T, mortgage interest Form 1098, property taxes, charitable contributions, medical expenses paid by you, educator expenses, and financial document showing contributions for an IRA. Of note, this is not TSP contribution from MyPay.
  • If filing a joint return both taxpayers must be present. If it is not possible to have both taxpayers present, you must have a Power of Attorney for the absent spouse. You can get a POA at the base legal office, Bldg. 1002, with an appointment by calling 405-739-5811.
  • Custodial parents wishing to claim dependent care or educational credits must bring in the appropriate documentation such as statement of service from the child care provider which contains the EIN or SSN of the provider, a 1098-T from the educational institution, and a bursar statement showing payments and charges made to the school. Noncustodial parents claiming a child will need to bring a signed Form 8332 or a Pre-2009 Divorce Decree giving them the personal exemption for that dependent.
  • IRS issued Identity Protection PIN. The IRS has extended the IP PIN Program to all taxpayers. The PIN aids in securing taxpayers’ identity and processing returns electronically. Your assigned PIN is only good for one filing season. Additional information can be found in IRS Publication 5367 or https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/get-an-identity-protection-pin.

The Legal Office understands that the pandemic has forced changes in the VITA program which may not be ideal for customers. As an alternative, they suggest checking into the free, easy to use, self-paced and 100% accuracy guaranteed tax service offered through Miltax at: https://www.militaryonesource.mil/financial-legal/tax-resource-center/miltax-military-tax-services/.

Another resource, www.irs.gov may offer a free file service. From the home page, select File, then Individual, then How to File to get to the Free File link.

The VITA office is located in Bldg. 1, Door 3, on the west side of the building. There are signs guiding visitors to the office. Questions and virtual assistance inquiries can be sent to 72ABW.JA.TaxCenter@us.af.mil.