March 23, 2011
WASHINGTON, March 22, 2011 - Service members and their families have a few tax advantages at their disposal, as well as a few extra days in which to complete their taxes this year, a Defense Department tax expert said.
Due to Emancipation Day, a holiday recognized by the District of Columbia, government officials have pushed the nation's tax filing deadline from April 15 to April 18, Army Lt. Col. Evan Stone, director of the Armed Forces Tax Council, told American Forces Press Service.
Along with the filing extension, Stone pointed out several new and existing tax laws military members and their spouses should keep in mind as the deadline draws near.
To start, people may have noticed an increase in their take-home pay, Stone said. The government, he explained, reduced the Social Security tax from 6.2 percent of wages to 4.2 percent solely for the 2011 tax year.
Learn more about servicemember tax benefits.- By Elaine Wilson
American Forces Press Service