The Veterans Auto and Education Improvement Act was signed into law in January of 2023, which outlines protections for veterans and military spouses.

The bill provides a provision that veterans will not lose GI Bill benefits if schools close for emergencies like what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bill also provides protection for military spouses who move around the world with their military service members within Section 19 of the bill. Section 19 specifically addresses the portability of professional licenses of members of the uniformed service and their spouses. It states that with a servicemember or spouse relocates due to military orders outside the area that a license covers, “such covered license shall be considered valid at a similar scope of practice and in the discipline applied for in the jurisdiction of such new residency for the duration of such military orders.”

The reciprocity of such license only applies if military orders are provided, the license is valid and is in good standing, and “submits to the authority of the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction for the purposes of standards, practice, discipline, and fulfillment of any continuing education requirements.”   The license has to have been actively utilized within the prior two years.

Some states and professions utilize interstate compacts, like teachers’ or nurses licenses, that agreement supersedes the new law.

This law is a movement forward for military spouse employment. It is challenging for military spouses to find portable careers that follow where the military sends them. Allowing military spouses to utilize their licenses in another state in conjunction with orders saves time and energy. Before this law was signed, military spouses had to apply for state licensures, wait for the process to be complete, and spend hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars.

The law does not apply to those licenses used to practice law.

Tax season comes just as quickly as the new year. With the change in season to spring comes tax time. It’s good to be prepared for what to do for tax time.

Change of Address

Did you know that you can file a change of address form with the IRS? If you file your return in April and then move that next month, you might miss your rebate check. File a change of address form here, so the IRS knows where to send your rebate check.

Find an accountant

If you are reading this, you are probably already behind on taxes. Okay, not really. But the time to get ahead for taxes is the year prior. Finding an account early can help. Oftentimes, looking for an accountant in January means many might not have availability to help before April. Preparing a tax return takes time, and if they don’t have the time to prepare your taxes before tax day, then you might be doing them on your own or finding a big group like H.R. Block to complete them for you.

Ask Questions

If you are utilizing an accountant, ask all the questions. You can’t just say you didn’t know if your accountant filled something out incorrectly; it’s your signature on the tax return (electronic or otherwise). If you have a question about what should be included, or excluded, ask.

File Early

Just like finding an accountant early, filing early is key. Whether you are submitting taxes on your own or through an accountant, try to get things done as early as possible. As W2 and 1099 forms come in from work and you receive bank statements on interests or mortgages, scan and send all documents to your accountant, if you have one, and save those documents to a folder on your computer and a real folder.

File for Free

If your taxes are straightforward and you want to file yourself, you can submit them for free through the guidance on the IRS website. Those whose annual gross income (AGI) of $73,000 qualify for a free federal tax return. Those who have an AGI over $73,000 can use free file-fillable forms.

Miltax is a free tax service from Military One Source that is available from mid-January through mid-October. Set up a free Military One Source account to utilize the software.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, are tax specialists who are trained specifically in the unique tax situations of military families. There are locations both within the United States and in overseas locations where military members serve. Check for a location near you here.

File Electronically

Paper filing takes much longer. If you want your return quicker or to make sure that you put everything in, you need to file electronically.

Keep a hard copy

The IRS can audit taxes returns filed within the last three years, and they may add additional years if there is a significant error.  While you may have saved everything to your computer three years ago, it died, and now you don’t have access to the documents on it. Keep a hard copy of tax returns and any accompanying documentation in a binder for that year or several years. Keep it in a safe place, and altogether, so you know where it is. If an audit happens, you will not be caught unawares. Save seven years of returns.

File An Extension if Serving in a Combat Zone

If the military service member is serving in a combat zone or contingency operation, you may be able to file an extension. The extension is for 180 days after leaving the combat zone or after the operation is no longer considered a contingency operation.

Overseas Rules

For those military service members and families living outside the United States, there is an automatic 2-month extension on the tax deadline. This is due to the fact that snail mail of statements may take longer to get to the service member or family member. Make sure to have everything ready as soon as you are able to file.

Reminder: If you are filing taxes with someone who is a pop-up, they may not be available if you have a tax audit. The H&R Block pop-up units on base typically have a manager or a contact with someone who will be present after-tax season to contact. Just make sure to get their card and information should you need it.

Buying a home can happen in just a few days for some, but for those utilizing the VA Loan process, it can feel like weeks – because it can take that long. A new law, HR 7735, passed in December of 2022 that will help speed up the appraisal process portion of the VA Loan.

The law, HR 775, also called Improving Access to the VA Home Loan Benefit, became public law on December 27^th, 2022. The act requires updates by the Department of Veteran Affairs to the regulations, requirements and guidance for the loan process. In Section 2 of the bill, it specifically states that no more than 90 days from the passing of the Act, the Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs will submit recommendations for improving the delivery times of appraisals to the Senate and House of Representatives.

Within Section 3 of the bill, it specifies that no longer than 180 days, about 6 months, from the act becoming law, the Department of Veterans Affairs would update regulations and requirements for appraisal.  Suggestions on changes to the appraisal included certification requirements of appraisers, minimum property requirements, selection process, quality control processes, assisted appraisal processing program and other waivers were included in the bill.

The bill, in fact, does not change the appraisal process yet for those utilizing VA Loans through the Department of Veterans Affairs. The soonest changes would be potentially seen is about 6 months from the bill date, the end of June 2023.

The process for buying a home with the VA Loan requires several steps. First step is to find a VA-approved lender and then receive a certificate eligibility noting that you are able to use the VA Loan program. Pre-qualifying for a long can be done to determine the maximum budget spent on a home, but it is not advisable to purchase a home with that number. After house hunting and signing a purchase agreement, the loan process begins. A VA appraiser must complete the appraisal within the home to ensure it meets the minimum VA requirements. This process is supposed to be completed within 10 days, barring any extenuating circumstances. If the appraisal matches the value and meets the property requirements, the underwriter for the loan will give approval.

In seller’s markets, some people waive inspections on homes, but part of using the VA Loan means that a VA Loan appraiser has to review the home to ensure it meets the minimum VA property requirements, like having a operable kitchen. Using the VA Loan means you cannot waive the appraiser coming to the home for the inspection/appraisal. This may feel like a burden, but this process is there to protect those buying the home and lending the money.

In buyer’s markets, the VA Loan provides an extra protection with the VA appraiser ensuring that everything is in working order on the property.

There may be VA Loan limits, to learn the up-to-date VA home loan information, check out the housing assistance section on the VA website.

The Military Spouse Career Accelerator Pilot program was announced in January 2023 by the Defense Department. The program is a 12-week paid fellowship program for spouses of currently serving members of the branches of the military including the US Army, US Navy, US Marine Corps, US Air Force and Space Forces in addition to National Guard components.

The pilot program will run for three years, with the first cohort beginning work through January 2023. After application, spouses are accepted into the program and placed with host companies to match with their location and work experience to provide a work opportunity and professional training and mentoring.  There is not a public list of host employers.

The goal of the program is to connect equipped spouses with companies who have partnered with the Hiring Our Heroes program. The 12-week fellowship program may lead to continued employment through a direct hire program, depending on the company. It does not guarantee continued employment.

Spouses can apply through the MySeco website. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Applications do require a DS Logon for identity verification. Not everyone is guaranteed a fellowship. For those who apply but are not matched with a fellowship, the resources on Hiring Our Heroes and SECO offer other fellowships or coaching.

Employers can apply to participate in the program on the Hiring Our Heroes website.

The program is a brand-new initiative, and since the first cohort just started, there is little information on the number of spouses within the program or how many fellowships lead to direct hiring. This program does not address one of the biggest barriers to military spouse employment – childcare. The program does not specifically note if positions are remote, but since the posting states that it provides “hands on professional training” to military spouses accepted in the program, positions could be in person or remote.

What the program does do is provide contacts to the professional world. It is a difficult step to “get a foot in the doorway” in some professions, so while it may not lead to continued employment with that company, perhaps the contacts made will lead to other meaningful work. Time will tell the success of this program.  If you or someone you know has been accepted into the program, please share the experience with others.

Childcare centers on the military installation will have increased rates in 2023, per a 2022 press release from the Defense Department. Military and DOD-affiliated parents utilize these child development centers and school-age care centers as a means to find reliable childcare at an affordable rate.

On-post childcare centers are an affordable option for childcare. With the cost of childcare increasing across the United States, with some people paying over $30/hour for a nanny or over $20/hour for a group setting care, on-base care may be the only place where the entire paycheck doesn’t seem to go missing.  On-base care prior to the cost raise was $7/hour and is now $8/hour.

The increase in cost to parents is in part, to cover the increase in costs of hiring qualified childcare providers. The DOD Child Development Program Fee policy states that a minimum of 50% of appropriated funds support the child care development programs, with revenue generated by parent fees for the other 50% of the operating budget.

The program Child Care Aware, a Community Provider Fee Assistance program, will continue. The prior cap of $1500/month per child will increase to $1700/month per child. The amount actually given for fee assistance depends on the service branch, location, and rank of the service member. If you are looking for off-base child care, look at Child Care Aware for fee assistance.

Prior to the rate raise, child development centers had several income categories to determine the cost of childcare. For instance, an E3 and an O1 would not pay the same amount. The childcare rate would be determined by income. These income categories continue with the pay increase, but there are now 14 categories instead of the previous 13. The categories vary by military branch and location, so check with the child development center or school-age care program on your military installation, or next one, to know what to expect for childcare costs on base.

Childcare is a concern for military families. Military members often work hours outside the typical 9-5, and finding safe, and quality childcare is a priority for military families. Affordable childcare is added bonus. The childcare centers on base often have hours of 6 am -6 pm, or even later, depending on the location of the center. Costs are typically flat rates, not specifically at the hourly rate, so it is one cost for utilizing all the centers’ hours or part of them. This helps when hours, or days, vary for the military member.