As tax season approaches, many Veterans begin gathering their necessary financial documents and consulting with tax professionals. VA wants Veterans to know they may qualify for special tax breaks and free assistance programs to help them navigate the filing process and maximize their returns.
Whether a Veteran files their taxes independently or uses a tax professional, VA encourages Veterans and their loved ones to review the following tips and resources to both help them navigate the tax season with confidence and to avoid tax season scams.
- Tax benefits as a Veteran: Disability benefits received from VA should not be counted as part of a Veteran’s gross income. Payments from compensation, pension, Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E), and education—including the G.I. Bill—are exempt from taxation. Always review the Internal Revenue Service’s webpage on Veterans tax information and services before submitting a tax return.
- For Veterans who receive disability benefits from VA, refer to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Publication 525 under “Military and Government Disability Pensions” for more information.
- Veterans may be eligible to claim a federal tax refund based on an increase in their VA disability percentage (which may include a retroactive determination).
- Combat-disabled Veterans who are granted Combat-Related Special Compensation after an award for Concurrent Retirement and Disability may be eligible to claim a federal tax refund.
- Free tax assistance programs: Veterans have access to several free tax assistance programs.
- IRS Free File: If a Veteran’s adjusted gross income is $79,000 or less, they can file electronically with an IRS Free File software provider. If their income is higher, they can use Free File fillable forms.
- IRS Direct File: If a Veteran lives in a participating state, they can use the free IRS Direct File service to e-file their federal tax return directly with IRS.
- In-person help: If a Veteran’s adjusted income is $64,000 or less, if they have a disability and/or need language support, or if they are 60-years old or older, they can receive free in-person help from an IRS-certified volunteer.
- Military OneSource: Use the MilTax software to file federal and state returns for free for up to 365 days after military separation or retirement. For information on other topics, visit MilitaryOneSource.mil or call 800-342-9647.
- Always verify communications: With the increasing sophistication of scams targeting Veterans, it’s important to distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent communications from VA.
- VA will never send text messages to confirm or request personally identifiable information (PII) for benefits or federal payments.
- Do not provide personal banking or credit card information to anyone alleging affiliation with VA or other federal entities.
- Do not share your VA National Call Center (NCC) personal identification number (PIN) with anyone, including family, friends or any entity who makes contact via mobile communication. The VA NCC PIN is a unique identifier which helps protect personal information when communicating with VA.
- Get an IRS Identify Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN). IP PINs are assigned to taxpayers to prevent Social Security Number (SSN) fraud on federal income tax returns. Scammers can use SSNs to commit tax fraud by filing a fraudulent return or claiming a refund; obtaining an IP PIN will keep these scammers from filing a tax return using Veterans’ SSNs.
- Protect your personal information: The tax filing season has increasingly become a prime opportunity for scammers to exploit unsuspecting taxpayers through various communication methods.
- Refrain from sharing PII, including VA.gov logins, VA NCC personal PINs, dates of birth, military entrance/discharge details, branches of service or SSNs.
- Limit posting PII online, and don’t share residence addresses, dates of birth, workplace locations or kinship details.
- Delete old social media accounts, limit online presences and minimize or remove available biographical information.
- Never send bank information or payments to “online friends” or others. Scammers may threaten to destroy your files or data if you do not send payment or banking information. If you are a victim of ransomware, do not respond to these threats and do report the incident immediately.
- Protect against identity theft scams. All three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) offer Veterans the ability to freeze their credit file for free. A credit freeze allows Veterans to control access to credit reports; requires approvals for applications for credit cards, mortgages or loans; and helps protect against identity theft.
Tax season can be stressful, but Veterans can avoid scams and protect their finances by increasing their knowledge and taking precautions. Understanding Veterans’ tax benefits, choosing a trusted professional or service, recognizing scams and safeguarding PII are all steps to ensure a safe and secure tax filing experience.
If Veterans encounter a tax scam, they should report it to the appropriate authorities. Reporting scams helps protect others from becoming victims and assists in the investigation and prosecution of bad actors. For more information and to report an abusive tax scheme or a tax return preparer, visit Report a tax scam or fraud | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov).
If Veterans miss a VA benefits payment, identify a discrepancy in payments or find suspicious activity with their direct deposit account, contact VA immediately at 800-827-1000. Veterans who suspect they are victims of fraud can find resources to file a report to the appropriate agency by visiting www.vsafe.gov or calling 833-38V-SAFE.
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Where can I get free tax preparation that includes the STATE TAX form?
Greetings from the Island of Guam…
I recently received my 100% disability after 50 years of fighting r my benefits. now I need to know what benefits I’m intitled to since I live outside the mainland. The VA has provided me with adequate medical assistance but what other benefits can I get besides a free driver’s license. I can’t find anything in Guam laws that say anything…
Are real estate taxes or homeowner’s association dues exempt in Maryland for veterans with 100% disability?
If so, please explain how to apply for the exemption of the real estate tax and homeowner’s dues.
Wish I the person send child support is able to claim tax credit or tax deduction for money that is my personal ex- account. He should be paying the tax on the money from the child support. Plus my ex- who can’t draw on his retirement until he is 59 1/2-60y/o, so he went after my military while I wait for him to get his military retirement He never deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan while I went for a year to Iraq and feels he deserves my military because spent 1year state side living near his parents. He make more money ($130k/annually) and is a retired veteran, so the family law doesn’t make sense. At all.
Beware false Christianity! The Roman Catholic Church changed sabbath from Sat to Sun & boasts of it. But God made the 7th day holy, a day of rest & a Sign between Him & His ppl, forever (Gen. 2:3; Ex. 20:8; 31:12-17). It is an eternal stand-alone covenant. Man can make nothing holy & Sun was never holy. The RCC is pictured at Rev. 17:5, a woman on a beast: “Mystery Babylon the Great, Mother of Harlots & Abominations.” The Trinity was made by men who formed the RCC, going back to sorcerer Simon Magus, Acts 8. The Vatican admits the Trinity is not Biblical & must be accepted on faith; but, 1 Thess. 5:21 says “test all things”. God is a Family (Eph. 3:15) – a household (Eph. 2:19) of two Persons: The Father & the Word which became the Son of God on birth of virgin Mary. The Holy Spirit is the power of God, the agency by which He executes His will; but is not God, is not made in His image & is ineligible to be in God’s Family. Only mankind is eligible. Protestants follow RCC Sunday keeping & Trinity worship. They are harlot daughters of the RCC (Rev. 17:5). Their “Jesus” was crucified Fri p.m. & resurrected Sun a.m., less than 3 days/3 nights (Mt.12:38-42). Aware of Simon Magus, Paul put a double curse on such men (Gal. 1:6-9). Mainstream churches overlook that 2 sabbaths were in the crucifixion week. Jesus Christ was crucified Wed afternoon (Passover) & resurrected Fri p.m., entombed 3 days & 3 nights, the only sign He gave for His authority (Ibid). Thurs was a High Sabbath, the 1st day of Feast of Unleavened Bread. Because of the FULB sabbath, shops were closed, halting sale of spices needed to anoint the body. On Fri Preparation Day the women bought spices. They tried to anoint the body Sun a.m. but the stone was moved & an angel said that Jesus was not there. The false Friday-Sunday narrative promotes Easter, rooted in paganism. Christ-mass is likewise of Satan. The Creator has forever ordained 7 annual holy days for His ppl, which reveal His plan of salvation for mankind (Lev. 23:1ff; 1 Cor. 2:9; 2 Tim. 3:16). Come out of Babylon!
State of MI treats Army Reserve and/or National Guard pension benefits as taxable income. Why?
Hopefully, in the next four years, President Trump will eliminate the personal federal income tax altogether, which will eliminate all this BS Americans go through every year, “self-preparaing” the very paperwork which steals their $$$$.
BTW, the 16 Amendment was never ratified by 3/4 of the States in 1913. Read “The Law That Never Was” by William J. Benson and Martin J. “Red” Beckman. This grift if part and parcel of the deep state which has been robbing Americans since 1913. Don’t believe this? Well, check out the $Trillions of stolen loot the DOGE is uncovering. More, much more, will be coming to light in the near future. Semper Fi.
A simple reminder is , that Social Security will never call you!
Thanks for the great info. My first partial year getting my VA disability payments. I know this is non- taxable income. Do I receive a 1099-R annually for these payments, although not reportable? Thanks
You will not receive a 1099 for disability payments.
You should receive a Form 1099 G
Thank you for providing this information
1. this information is beyond the level of concern and care the VA uses to support me in the VA benefits program and I am becoming
more and more dependent upon the VA to provide information to me on programs and benefits that are pertinent to my
living a productive and safe and secure life
2. I know that our newly appointed Secretary for Veterans Affairs, Doug Collins, will not only continue this effort by the VA but will
enhance, support and construct new and more helpful / beneficial programs to, and for, me
3. the VA has saved my life in more ways than one since I enrolled and I am grateful for all of the help I’ve gotten since then but
4. in my usual and singular way of living my life I enrolled far and away too late in life to receive my maximun level of benefits provided by
the VA but in my usual and singular way of living my life I have altered my thinking and have seen the light of knowledge which has led
me to the VA and a better way of life
5. I can’t say “Thank You” enough to the VA which has set me on a new path to living a better life (I am widowed and live alone) and
because of the VA I am not dependent on anyone for assistance in living my life
6. My greatest and most sincere “Thank You” begins with the re-re-election of our President Donald J. Trump who is and will become the
greatest President in my lifetime …. I was born in 1942 and am turning 83 on February 20th of this year (2025) and President Trump
has proven to be the most veteran friendly Commander in Chief who has ever held office, that I can recall
Thank You for giving me the opportunity to voice my feelings regarding the VA and its highly sophisticated and necessary programs, it
means a lot.
HELPFULL INFO
The fact that long time veterans no longer can use the MilTax software su*cks. Another benefit down the drain.
The statement “If a Veteran’s adjusted income is $64,000 or less, if they have a disability and/or need language support, or if they are 60-years old or older, they can receive free in-person help from an IRS-certified volunteer” is **NOT** true. The Tax-Aide program, run by the AARP Foundation, offers free tax preparation and e-filing to individuals of all ages, and there is no income maximum, though for incomes greater than $150,000, some tax returns may be out-of-scope). Last year, the program did more than 1.1 million **free** tax returns.
Veterans can also seek out AARP Taxaide for free federal and state tax prep and filing. Taxaide is completely non political and is separate from the political portion of AARP. I am a Veteran a conservative libertarian and have been with Taxaide for 13 years now. I ran the Taxaide site in Las Vegas NM for 7 years, I am now just the senior tax councilor at the site, we have the same IRS certification requirements as paid preparers do, our training is better in my opinion.
Great Information…lot of Scams going on for sure
Very good, but I need to copy this to read it all and so I’ll take it on my printer. Thank you for the info bye.