R 060800Z FEB 98 ZYB
FM CMC WASHINGTTON DC//JA//
TO ALMAR
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UNCLAS //N05800//
ALMAR 051/98
MSGID/GENADMIN/GENADMIN/CMC/JAL//
SUBJ/ELECTRONIC TAX FILING (E-FILE) POLICY AND PROGRAM GUIDANCE//
RMKS/1.  DURING 1997, MARINE CORPS VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE
(VITA) PERSONNEL HELPED MORE MARINES THAN EVER BEFORE.  THE
AVAILABILITY OF ELECTRONIC TAX FILING SPARKED AN AMAZING GROWTH IN
THE NUMBER OF MARINES RECEIVING FREE TAX ASSISTANCE.  VITA PERSONNEL
PREPARED OVER 50,000 FEDERAL RETURNS (A 29 PERCENT INCREASE OVER
1996) AND OVER 12,600 STATE RETURNS.  AS A RESULT OF THESE EFFORTS,
MARINES RECEIVED EXPEDITED REFUNDS AND SAVED APPROXIMATELY $5 MILLION
IN TAX PREPARATION AND ELECTRONIC FILING FEES.
2.  MARINES HAVE HAILED THE E-FILE PROGRAM AS ONE OF THE BEST QUALITY
OF LIFE PROGRAMS TO COME ALONG IN YEARS.  THE PROGRAM HELPS ALL OF
OUR PERSONNEL AND REDUCES THE NUMBER OF TAX-RELATED PROBLEMS THEY
ENCOUNTER.  IT OFFERS MANY OTHER BENEFITS, AS WELL, INCLUDING:
   A.  PROMPT REFUNDS:  ELECTRONICALLY FILED REFUNDS ARE DEPOSITED
DIRECTLY INTO A MARINE'S BANK ACCOUNT, NORMALLY WITHIN 8 TO 16 DAYS
AFTER TRANSMISSION.  BY CONTRAST, REFUNDS FOR PAPER RETURNS ROUTINELY
TAKE 6 TO 8 WEEKS OR LONGER.
   B.  ACCURACY:  THE ACCURACY RATE FOR E-FILE RETURNS IS 99.5
PERCENT COMPARED TO AN ERROR RATE AS HIGH AS 20 PERCENT FOR PAPER
RETURNS.
   C.  SAVINGS:  MARINES SAVE FILING FEES NORMALLY PAID TO
COMMERCIAL PREPARERS, WHICH ARE NORMALLY BETWEEN $50.00 AND $100.00.
   D.  FAST:  A VITA/E-FILE TRAINED VOLUNTEER CAN COMPLETE A TYPICAL
TAX RETURN IN 15-30 MINUTES.
3.  THIS YEAR EVERY LEGAL ASSISTANCE OFFICE IN THE MARINE CORPS,
INCLUDING THE 11TH MEU, WILL BE OFFERING TAX PREPARATION AND
ELECTRONIC TAX FILING ASSISTANCE. THE MARINE CORPS GOALS FOR THE
1998 TAX SEASON ARE:
   A.  TO FILE RETURNS FOR AT LEAST 50 PERCENT OF THE ACTIVE DUTY
FORCE AT EVERY SITE OFFERING E-FILE.
   B.  TO TAKE TAX SERVICES TO THE MARINE.  SATELLITE OFFICES,
MOBILE TAX PREPARATION TEAMS AND REMOTE E-FILE PROGRAMS WILL MAKE
ELECTRONIC FILING MORE ACCESSIBLE THAN EVER BEFORE.
   C.  TO ENSURE NO ONE HAS TO PAY FOR COMMERCIAL TAX PREPARATION
IN ORDER TO FILE AN ELECTRONIC TAX RETURN.
4.  THIS IS A GENUINE QOL INITIATIVE FROM WHICH EVERY MARINE CAN
BENEFIT.  EVERY TAX CENTER IN THE MARINE CORPS CAN PROVIDE EXAMPLES
OF MARINES AND FAMILIES WHOSE SITUATIONS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED
BECAUSE OF THIS PROGRAM.  SUPPORT THE E-FILE AND VITA PROGRAMS AND
ENCOURAGE YOUR MARINES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BENEFITS THEY
OFFER.//
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