Tax Help For Area Veterans

Sacramento, CA — The Mother Lode’s military can now get help with their taxes – free.

A new outreach effort for California’s veterans includes help in tax preparations, exemptions and credits. In honor of Veterans Day, Board of Equalization Vice Chair George Runner has announced aid to military members giving them tips on how to receive tax benefits. “As the proud father of a veteran, I’m very grateful for the sacrifices these courageous men and women have made,” said Runner. “I encourage veterans to take advantage of these new resources, and I hope they find this service to be useful.”

Runner represents District 1, which is the home to more than 200,000 veterans and includes Tuolumne and Calaveras counties. Runner’s office provides these Veteran state tax tips:

• Own Limited Property: Veterans who own a limited amount of property—$5,000 or less if you are single and $10,000 or less if you are married—may be eligible for a property tax exemption.
• Buying a car: If the Veteran’s Administration is paying any portion of a vehicle purchase directly to the dealer, that portion is not subject to sales tax.
• Disabled? Disabled veterans may qualify for an exemption or partial exemption from property tax on their principal place of residence. A new law allows veterans to claim a refund for up to eight years of prior eligibility.
• Mobile Vendor: The sale of certain property by qualified itinerant veteran vendors is not subject to tax. A new law allows some vendors to receive a refund of sales tax, interest, and penalties paid from April 1, 2002, to March 31, 2010.
• Nonprofit: Nonprofit veterans’ organizations making sales of merchandise or goods generally must hold a seller’s permit. However, the sale of American flags, veterans’ memorial lapel pins, or meals served at the organization’s events are not taxable.

Click here for more California veteran tax information.