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What's happening in the federal IT community
By Sunday, April 13, 2008 | 3:11 PM
With Tuesday being "Taxdueday," I hope all you Army employees have made that extra effort to file your taxes. In case you didn't get the word, the IRS sent a letter to Army Secretary Pete Geren asking him for assistance in getting Army personnel to comply with tax filing requirements.
It seems that the average tax delinquency rate (i.e., balances owed and/or an unfiled tax return) averages 4.68 percent for Army personnel, while for the rest of government it is only 3.8 percent.
The IRS told Geren, "Our system of taxation relies on voluntary compliance. If the public perceives that the federal employees do not maintain the highest level of tax compliance, public confidence in government will suffer."
So, if you would, the IRS asks Geren, please remind your employees through "memorandum, publication, pay statement insert or through your local area network" to voluntarily comply.
And, if they don't, the IRS told Geren to expect "this issue to generate congressional and media interest during the tax filing season."
So, for the good of public confidence in government that rests on Army employee shoulders, won't you please file your taxes?
Comments
Military staff are paid little enough - and pay in many ways (putting lives on the line while having lousy working conditions, low income & minimal benefits, being separated from family, to name a few.) I have to wonder how many of the 4.68% delinquent filers are receiving sub-standard medical care while recovering from combat injuries and are therefore unable to file?
Why not declare active military or reservists who are stationed in a combat zone to be exempt from federal and state income taxes? They are certainly already paying more than their fair share. Or at a minimum, make them exempt from any fines and penalties for late filing while in a combat zone, and allow up to 4 month filing grace period after returning from the combat zone.
Not sure what the IRS' problem is here. Most military personnel end up receiving a refund rather than paying in. Also, wages received while serving in designated combat zones are tax exempt. So, I think more tax payer money was wasted in the generation of this memo than what the IRS will actually see in taxes collected.
Retired AF | Friday, April 18, 2008 | 2:01 PMI have to agree with Retired Army! Our uniformed service people don't always have the luxury, or time to sit down and take the time to file their taxes. Why not exempt our service people form taxation while in a war zone? If we can expect them to die for our "cause", why don't we give them some kind of respect by not making them have to deal with relatively (to them) minor issues?
Jess Avet | Thursday, April 17, 2008 | 11:30 AMI sense some sarcasm here but honestly it's lost on me.
JT | Tuesday, April 15, 2008 | 10:56 AMMaybe the IRS should focus on all those overpayed Corporate Executives that have found every possible loophole in the system to avoid taxes. I'm sure most of the problem is that our forces have been extended too far and its kind of hard to focus on taxes when bullets are flying at you in the combat zone. Having been deployed to 3 combat zones I can tell you this is the last thing on their minds. This is the last thing they should have to focus on. Maybe congress should do something about this. Have the IRS automatically extend anyone that is in the combat zone.
Retired Army | Monday, April 14, 2008 | 12:36 PM