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JBSA-Fort Sam Houston Military Tax Assistance Center extends services to June 15

  • Published
  • By David DeKunder
  • 502nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

The Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston Military Tax Assistance Center, or MTAC, will continue to offer free income tax preparation services for military members and retirees until June 15.

MTAC, located in building 133 at 2450 Dragon Valley Road, is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, excluding federal holidays and U.S. Army North training days.

The tax assistance center provides tax preparation services – free of charge – for active duty members, active duty Reservists, dependents, as well as military retirees and their dependents.

Tax preparation services are provided by 12 volunteers, including Army Soldiers trained through the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, or VITA. Volunteers who complete the VITA program are certified by the IRS to prepare taxes.

Lt. Col. Satura Gabriel, 502nd Force Support Group Staff Judge Advocate, said MTAC is extending its services until June 15 because the IRS has extended the income tax deadline for residents of Texas and other states affected by the winter storm in February.

“We just want to make sure we can accommodate Texas residents and provide services to every active duty member, retiree and dependents of active duty and retirees,” Gabriel said.

Gabriel said customers still have to adhere to COVID-19 protocols and procedures put into place to ensure their safety and those of the tax preparers.

Customers can come to the office by appointment only by contacting MTAC at 210-295-1040 or online at fortsamtax.setmore.com. The tax center doesn’t accept walk-in appointments.

When arriving for their appointment, customers must wear masks and will be asked questions regarding COVID-19 symptoms.

On the day of their appointment, Gabriel said tax filers need to bring a military ID to verify eligibility, a photocopy of their Social Security card, copies of their W-2 forms or copies of their 1099 or 1098 forms, and others applicable tax forms, if necessary.

Regulations prohibit tax returns from being prepared unless the tax filer brings a photocopy of the Social Security card for themselves and everyone else who will appear on their tax return, including dependent children and spouse. 

Customers will fill out a sheet and drop off copies of the necessary tax documents at MTAC. Tax preparers will work on the taxes and when the taxes are done and prepared, the tax filer will be contacted to set up an appointment to come back and go over their taxes, pickup up their documents and sign their prepared tax forms.

Customers can choose to do their appointments remotely by selecting that option at fortsamtax.setmore.com. If they choose to do it virtually, they will be given instructions on how to upload documents on the Department of Defense Safe Access File Exchange system. They will be contacted for a virtual follow-up appointment, in which they will have the opportunity to review, go over their taxes and sign their prepared tax form with a tax preparer.

The scope of services provided by MTAC volunteers includes basic tax preparation for customers who own no more than two rental properties. However, MTAC doesn’t provide preparation services for corporate taxes, stock trades or customers who cash out on their Roth IRAs early, own more than two rental properties or have any other less common issues that are out of scope for VITA.

Customers who have questions on the scope of services offered by MTAC can call the appointment line at 210-295-1040 or at fortsamtax.setmore.com, where they can leave their contact information.