Illinois CPA Society Provides Free Tax Filing and Financial Planning Services to Military Personnel

CHICAGO, Feb. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- When fighting a war overseas, filing your taxes is the last thing on your mind. The Illinois CPA Society is committed to helping military personnel and their families by taking the often stressful task of tax preparation and financial planning off their plates.

The Illinois CPA Society has partnered with the Internal Revenue Service to offer the Military Service Tax Assistance Project to provide free personal income tax return filing and financial planning services to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who are on or have returned from active duty in a combat zone such as Iraq or Afghanistan.

Military tax returns can be quite complex. Illinois CPA Society members are volunteering their time and expertise to help military personnel and their families make sense of it all and identify the unique and special tax credits that may be available to them.

The Military Service Tax Assistance Project is structured to help those who do not have an existing relationship with a CPA and who would otherwise have few resources for financial advice and information on IRS guidelines for military personnel. To qualify for assistance, individuals and their families must meet the following criteria:

-- A member of the U.S. Armed Forces having served in a combat zone or
qualified hazardous duty area, or a spouse of a member in a combat
zone;

-- Or a member of the U.S. Armed Forces serving in a contingency
operation;

-- A current Illinois resident.

"The 22,000 members of the Illinois CPA Society are extremely grateful for the dedicated service members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families are giving to the United States," said Elaine Weiss, President & CEO, Illinois CPA Society. "The Military Service Tax Assistance Project gives our members the opportunity to support our troops in the way they know best, with their tax expertise and financial management guidance. CPAs are uniquely qualified to help identify the special tax benefits available to military personnel that may help ease the financial strain of active duty."

For additional information about the Military Service Tax Assistance Project or to request the assistance of a volunteer CPA, visit the Illinois CPA Society's website at http://www.icpas.org/ or call 800-993-0393, ext. 216.

The Illinois CPA Society, founded in 1903, is the fourth largest state CPA Society in the nation, with more than 22,000 members. It is the only professional organization that represents CPAs in Illinois. During its over 100 years of existence, the Society has advanced the highest ethical and financial standards of the profession, and has been a leader in educating the public on financial issues.