By Justin Creech
Staff Writer
Thursday, January 12, 2012

The Fort Belvoir Tax Center is limiting its free tax preparation and filing services to eligible active-duty officers and enlisted Soldiers and their Families who work or reside on post.

Due to budget constraints and personnel shortages, the service, which begins Feb. 1, is limited to enlisted servicemembers and their Families in Grades E-1 to E-9 and officers and their Families in Grades 0-1 to 0-3.

“The reality is, based on the staffing we have available and the lack of adequate office space we are unable to offer the full extent of services that we are entitled to do,” said Yosefi Seltzer, Office of Legal Assistance Attorney-Advisor. “I’m the first person that’s disappointed that we can’t offer our normal amount of service.”

Tax preparation is by appointment only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from Feb. 1 to May. 1.

Individuals who are also ineligible to obtain services from the Tax Center are those who report rental property income, those who have more than 10 stock or mutual fund sales for 2011 and those who report self-employment income.

Along with a lack of funds and manpower, the inability to find an offsite location for a tax center also factored in to who is eligible for tax services this season.

“We tried to lobby to get a site on post where we could establish a tax center, but no offsite facility was ever offered to us,” said Seltzer. “So, the end result is we have three vacant offices here in legal assistance and that’s what we are going to use.”

Civilian volunteers are being brought it in to work in the tax center this year due to the lack of available military personnel. Volunteers are at the Inspector General School on post this week taking Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (V.I.T.A) exams so they can become certified to assist with the preparation and filing of tax returns.

Legal assistance did a broad search to find volunteers to work in the center. Outreach was done on post to military Families and off post to accounting associations and American Legion posts in the local community.

Individuals volunteering to work in the tax center this season will not receive any financial compensation.

“We don’t pay them, so we’re acting with their generosity to operate and schedule appointments for them,” said Seltzer. “We feel like we are ok with volunteers heading into the tax season.”

Scheduling appointments will be done electronically this season through the Legal Assitance/Tax Center website since there is no full-time receptionist in the tax center this season.

“Our intention is to have this be a link people click on and send an e-mail saying they would like an appointment, what services they are going to need to prepare their taxes and whether they’re married, single, have children or no children,” said Seltzer. “Then, we provide a list of the documents they need to bring with them.”

To schedule and appointment, go to www.belvoir.army.mil/sja/newsite/Lad/tax.asp.