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    Assist Service Members

    Wells Hall training members of the military at the Fort Stewart and Fort Hunter combined training on January 8, 2020 through the Adopt-A-Base Program.

    Wells Hall training members of the military at the Fort Stewart and Fort Hunter combined training on January 8, 2020 through the Adopt-A-Base Program.

    Partnership with Filing for Freedom Military VITA

    The ABA Tax Section is pleased to partner with Filing for Freedom, a coalition including numerous state CPA associations and state bar associations, to assist in preparing tax returns for military personnel. Filing for Freedom has prepared returns at Dobbins Airforce Base in Georgia for several years, and in order to expand to new military bases, including hard to reach geographic locations, they will also provide virtual tax preparation services this year.

    We had a successful list of volunteers in 2023. Check back for future Filing for Freedom opportunities, where you can assist members of the military from the convenience of your home or office from anywhere in the country. For the 2023 season, there were several volunteer roles both virtual and in person in the Atlanta area or at Andrews Airforce Base in Maryland.  A training course and an IRS certification test were provided prior to return preparation for all volunteers.

    Adopt-A-Base

    The Tax Section has a partnership with the Armed Forces and the IRS to provide training to military VITA volunteers on bases across the country. The military VITA volunteers are service members who prepare returns for other service members and their families.

    As part of the Section’s commitment to pro bono services for our service members, the Section works to recruit law firms or groups of individuals to adopt a local base to provide this important tax training (3-5 days in December or January, depending on the base). Find more information on this challenging and rewarding Pro Bono Opportunity and answers to Frequently Asked Questions here.

    If you are interested in becoming involved with Adopt-A-Base, please contact the Section at [email protected].

    Resources

    State Tax Law Military VITA Resource Guide (Updated March 2024)

    In the winter of 2020/2021, the Tax Section inherited a project from the military to update and maintain a State Tax Guide that compiles relevant state income tax topics and issues especially relevant for members of the military.  Volunteers from the Section adopted each state and updated the guide for use by military members involved in the VITA program. Often these military members are required to complete returns from various states but do not receive comprehensive training on the relevant state tax law provisions. The Guide is meant to provide a quick reference point.

    Updating the guide on an annual basis will be an ongoing pro bono project for the Tax Section. We will accept volunteers on an ongoing basis, but particularly in the fall leading up to a new filing season. This volunteer opportunity is ideal for new attorneys, retired attorneys, non-attorneys, and anyone in between.  It can also be a group project at a firm.  No prior experience is necessary, and the information is easily attainable by researching online. Anyone interested in getting involved, can contact Meg Newman at [email protected].

    ABA Military Pro Bono Project

    The Section encourages all Section members to join the ABA Military Pro Bono Project. This program offers two different pro bono opportunities:

    1. Register to be contacted by the ABA Military Pro Bono Project with opportunities to provide pro bono assistance to military families directly when cases arise.
    2. Register to join Operation Stand-By to volunteer time to provide advice to military attorneys on issues relating to your specific expertise.