Members of the U.S. Armed Forces face unique challenges that come with serving their country—frequent moves, deployments, and extended time away from family. Fortunately, the IRS recognizes these sacrifices and offers a variety of tax breaks specifically for active-duty service members, reservists, and in some cases, veterans. Optima Tax Relief reviews the most important military-related tax breaks and how they could impact your bottom line.
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One of the most well-known tax benefits for military personnel is the combat zone exclusion. If you serve in a designated combat zone, some or all of your pay is excluded from taxable income.
For enlisted members, warrant officers, and commissioned warrant officers, the entire amount of combat pay is excluded from gross income. For commissioned officers, the exclusion is capped at the highest rate of enlisted pay, plus any hostile fire or imminent danger pay.
Even though combat pay is excluded from taxable income, it can still count as earned income for the purposes of calculating the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which may boost your refund.
Military members serving in combat zones are granted automatic extensions for certain tax-related deadlines, including:
Generally, you have at least 180 days after leaving a combat zone to take care of these responsibilities. If you’re unsure of your specific timeline, the IRS provides guidance based on your deployment dates and location.
Many allowances received during service are not subject to income tax. Some examples include:
Because these payments are not considered taxable income, they don’t need to be reported on your return. However, it’s important to know they also don’t count as earned income for credits like the EITC.
Due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, most taxpayers can no longer deduct moving expenses—but there’s an exception for active-duty military members.
If you move due to a permanent change of station (PCS), you can deduct unreimbursed moving expenses related to travel, lodging, and transporting household goods. This deduction is available even if you don’t itemize, which can significantly reduce your taxable income. Be sure to keep detailed records and receipts to claim this deduction accurately.
If you’re a reservist who travels more than 100 miles from home to perform your duties, you may be eligible for a special above-the-line deduction for unreimbursed travel expenses. This includes:
This deduction is available whether you itemize or not, and it helps reduce your adjusted gross income (AGI), which can impact eligibility for other credits and deductions.
In some cases, military members can deduct the cost of uniforms and their upkeep—but only if the uniform cannot be worn off-duty. For example, dress uniforms required for official ceremonies may qualify. If you receive an allowance for uniform maintenance, that amount must be subtracted from your deduction.
Generally, to qualify for the home sale exclusion (up to $250,000 for individuals or $500,000 for married couples), you must live in your home for two of the last five years before selling it. However, military members can benefit from an extension of the five-year window. If you’re on qualified extended duty, you can suspend the five-year rule for up to 10 years, which gives you more flexibility in excluding gains from the sale of your primary residence.
In addition to federal tax breaks, many states offer military-specific tax relief. These benefits can include:
Rules vary by state, so it’s worth checking with your state’s department of revenue or a local military tax advisor.
The IRS offers the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program through the Armed Forces Tax Council. These centers are located on military bases worldwide and provide free tax prep assistance to service members and their families. They are staffed with professionals trained in military-specific tax issues. In addition, active-duty members can also file federal tax returns for free using MilTax, a software offered through the Department of Defense and Military OneSource.
Military service comes with a lot of responsibilities—but managing your taxes doesn’t have to be one of them. The IRS provides a wide range of benefits to help reduce your tax burden, support your mobility, and simplify the filing process.
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