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March 2012
MilitaryByOwner Advertising, Inc.
Letter from the Editor

After the mild winter experienced nationwide, you may be confused as to what month it is, so we wanted to remind you that April is quickly approaching and that means it is almost tax time! The good news is that Military OneSource is offering free tax filing service through H&R Block At Home�. Accessing this tool will allow you to complete, save and file your 2011 federal and up to three state returns online for free.

Last week we had the privilege to take part in another Army Wife Network Field Exercise in Fort Gordon, Georgia. We never tire of the opportunity to meet with military families and to spread the word about how MilitaryByOwner.com can assist with military relocation. Thank you Tara and Star for providing this incredible opportunity.

We recently made an upgrade to our site in an effort to make the process of changing the status of your advertisement easier. Therefore, we also created a new version of our "Changing Your Ad Status" video tutorial for you to view. If your home has rented or sold, please be sure to access your account to reflect the change on our site. We appreciate your assistance in keeping our site up-to-date. 

If you have any questions about how to change the status of your ad or are in need of any assistance from our staff, please feel free to contact us. You can reach us via email, phone (866-604-9126), live chat, Facebook and Twitter (@militarybyowner). We look forward to speaking with you!

Monica 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monica Schaefer View our profile on LinkedIn    

Editor

Media Relations Manager

MilitaryByOwner Advertising, Inc.

 

 

 

In This Issue
Featured Article
Military Life
Relocation Tips
Expert Corner
Featured Home
Testimonial


Resources
Quantico Live Blog
Related Resources
About Us



_________________________________________________
Featured Article
Change in Lending Practices Could Stimulate Housing Market  

Monica Schaefer
MilitaryByOwner Advertising, Inc.

Since 2005, the news has inundated Americans with reports of the bursting housing bubble or the sub-prime mortgage crisis and many people are wondering what will it take to restore the housing market?

 

While there are many factors that are keeping the housing market from bouncing back, one of the key components may be the lack of available credit for potential buyers.

 

Not long ago it seemed that your teenager, employed at the local mini-mart, could have qualified for a loan for a $500,000 home. While liberal lending practices ultimately lead to the sub-prime mortgage mess, it is the current stringent lending practices that may be holding the housing market back from recovery.

 

Read More 


Military Life
Bill Proposes TSA Donate Loose Change to USO

Monica Schaefer

MilitaryByOwner Advertising, Inc.

 

Awkwardly pressed against other hurried travelers as you approach the security line on your way to your flight; you quickly remove your shoes, jacket, belt, cell phone, laptop and change from your pocket. As your prized possessions shove through the rubber flaps and race down the conveyor belt, you are strategizing how you can quickly don your garb and get on your way. You certainly remember to grab your cell phone and lap top, but in the hierarchy of importance, the $1.25 in loose change doesn't rate. You're not alone.

 

 

Relocation Tips
First Lady Urges Governors to Aid Spouse Employment 

By Elaine Sanchez 
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27, 2012 - First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, today urged the nation's governors to remove employment barriers for military spouses with professional licenses.

"What we are asking is for a level playing field," the first lady said during the National Governors Association's winter meeting at the White House. "We ... want to make sure that these spouses have a fair shot to pursue their careers and support their families."


Speaking to the governors and their spouses, Obama and Biden explained that the lack of license portability -- the ability to transfer an existing license to a new state with minimal application requirements -- is the No. 1 frustration they hear from military spouses.


More than one in every three spouses -- or 35 percent of military spouses in the workforce -- has a job that requires a professional license or certification. Frequent military moves and varying and lengthy state licensure requirements combine to create ongoing employment headaches for job-seeking spouses, Obama noted.


"More than 100,000 military spouses are affected by this maze of credentialing and requirements - 100,000 men and women," she said.


The first lady cited Army wife and nurse Kelly Crowley, also an expectant mother, as an example.
Crowley, she explained, has moved three times in four years of marriage. And in each new state, she takes on the lengthy and expensive process of applying for a license.

"She estimates that the constant moves have cost her about six months of paychecks," Obama said. "Six months of paychecks from a woman who wants to work, a woman serving our country.


"And the whole process can be so cumbersome that she's not even sure that she's going to go through it again for her family's next assignment," she added. "She's ready to walk away from her career, because the burdens are so great."


This is a frustration not only for nurses, the first lady said, but also for teachers, child care providers, accountants, real estate brokers, dental hygienists, social workers and thousands of other spouses in careers that require licenses. "And the vast majority of these spouses are clearly qualified," she noted.


Obama assured the governors this effort isn't intended to lower professional standards or to set a lower bar for military spouses. They just want an equal shot at employment, she said.


"That's where all of you come in," she told the governors. "Each of you has a unique opportunity to make a real difference for these families that have given all of us so much."

The first lady recognized the efforts of state officials who already have stepped up to help, noting a dozen governors have signed legislation to fix military spouses' licensing issues.


These officials have come up with their own creative solutions, she said. Some are granting temporary licenses so spouses can work while they fulfill state requirements. Others have given state licensing boards or agencies increased flexibility to grant licenses to spouses who can clearly demonstrate their competence. And still others are granting licenses to spouses upon application pending documentation verification.


Some states are working on legislation, Obama noted, citing states - including
California, Louisiana, Illinois and Wyoming -- that have introduced bills in the past two weeks.

Still, she added, "roughly half of the country still hasn't taken this issue on."


Obama said officials have set "an ambitious, but achievable" goal: By 2014, they want to see all 50 states pass legislation to address licensing issues. This goal is a priority for the nation's top leaders, she added, including the president, vice president, defense secretary and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"But the people who have the biggest impact are right here in this room," she told the governors and their spouses.


Obama encouraged them to refer to the new spouse employment report, produced by the Defense and Treasury departments, for tips and best practices. Alongside senior defense officials, Obama and Biden unveiled this report Feb. 16 to offer states a roadmap they can use to streamline or expedite licensing procedures.


As several governors paged through this report, Obama also noted the presence of DOD state liaisons at the meeting to help governors craft legislation.

The first lady said she and Biden will continue to shine a light on this issue through their Joining Forces initiative, a national campaign intended to rally support for troops, veterans and their families.


In their Joining Forces travels, they've already seen an outpouring of support for troops and their families, Biden noted.


"Americans are stepping up because they appreciate how much our military spouses and families do for our country every day," she said. "What we have seen since launching Joining Forces has been truly gratifying, because it has shown our military families that all of us appreciate their sacrifices on their behalf."


Taking on the spouse licensure issue is a perfect way to honor these families, the first lady noted. "If we fix this, we don't just support our military spouses as they advance in their careers, which is important, but we'll also be supporting their families who really depend on these incomes," she said.


Military families do so much for their nation, yet ask very little in return, Obama said. "When they call on us, we have a solemn obligation to answer that call," she added.


"In two years, what I hope we are able to say -- we can look these men and women in the eye and say, 'We heard you and we acted,'" she said. "We all stepped up as a nation to make it happen."

 

 

 



Expert Corner IRS Logo
10 Tips to Ease Tax Time for Military

IRS Summertime Tax Tip 2011-07

 

Military personnel have some unique duties, expenses and transitions. Some special tax benefits may apply when moving to a new base, traveling to a duty station, returning from active duty and more. These tips may put military members a bit "at ease" when it comes to their taxes.

 

Moving Expenses If you are a member of the Armed Forces on active duty and you move because of a permanent change of station, you can deduct the reasonable unreimbursed expenses of moving you and members of your household.

Tax Tips: Military Tax Tips
Tax Tips: Military Tax Tips

 

Combat Pay If you serve in a combat zone as an enlisted person or as a warrant officer for any part of a month, all your military pay received for military service that month is not taxable. For officers, the monthly exclusion is capped at the highest enlisted pay, plus any hostile fire or imminent danger pay received.

 

Extension of Deadlines The time for taking care of certain tax matters can be postponed. The deadline for filing tax returns, paying taxes, filing claims for refund, and taking other actions with the IRS is automatically extended for qualifying members of the military.

 

Uniform Cost and Upkeep If military regulations prohibit you from wearing certain uniforms when off duty, you can deduct the cost and upkeep of those uniforms, but you must reduce your expenses by any allowance or reimbursement you receive.

 

Joint Returns Generally, joint returns must be signed by both spouses. However, when one spouse may not be available due to military duty, a power of attorney may be used to file a joint return.

 

Travel to Reserve Duty If you are a member of the US Armed Forces Reserves, you can deduct unreimbursed travel expenses for traveling more than 100 miles away from home to perform your reserve duties.

 

ROTC Students Subsistence allowances paid to ROTC students participating in advanced training are not taxable. However, active duty pay - such as pay received during summer advanced camp - is taxable.

 

Transitioning Back to Civilian Life You may be able to deduct some costs you incur while looking for a new job. Expenses may include travel, resume preparation fees, and outplacement agency fees. Moving expenses may be deductible if your move is closely related to the start of work at a new job location, and you meet certain tests.

 

Tax Help Most military installations offer free tax filing and preparation assistance during the filing season.

 

Tax Information IRS Publication 3, Armed Forces' Tax Guide, summarizes many important military-related tax topics. Publication 3 can be downloaded from www.irs.gov or may be ordered by calling 1-800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).

Links:

 

Tax Information for Members of the U.S. Armed Forces

IRS Publication 3, Armed Forces' Tax Guide ( PDF)


 

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Testimonial

Dear MBO: We sold our home in 8 days, in a depressed market for more than our asking price to an MBO buyer. We advertised on Craigslist and another FSBO site and had zero hits from them. Conversely, we had 299 hits on MBO, several families in our home, several scheduled and ultimately sold our home to an MBO buyer. UR my hero!

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We love the fact that our number one source of advertising comes from our customer base and we would like to introduce ourselves to those who we have yet to have the privilege to work with.
 
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MilitaryByOwner Advertising, Inc.
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866-604-9126
 
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