Operation CPA expands assistance for deployed Ohio troops

For More Information: Amy Johnson, Senior Manager, Public Relations E-mail: ajohnson@ohio-cpa.com 614.764.2727, ext. 341

(COLUMBUS, OH – Feb 21, 2008)?In January an additional 1,600 Ohio soldiers left for Ft. Hood, Texas to begin training for a tour of duty in the Persian Gulf. In response to the greater number of soldiers called for active duty, Operation CPA is expanding to meet Ohio’s growing needs. 

More than 140 CPAs throughout Ohio are volunteering their time to prepare 2007 tax returns free of charge for deployed reserve and National Guard members and educate military personnel and their families about special tax breaks and programs available to them, including:

• Tax breaks. All qualifying military pay earned by servicemen below the grade of commission officer, while in a combat zone is excluded from gross income. Officers who excluded combat pay are limited to the highest rate of enlisted pay.
  
  
• Filing extensions. Military personnel serving in a combat zone or those hospitalized due to injuries received while in a combat zone don’t have to file their taxes until 180 days after their last day in the combat zone or hospitalization.
  
  
• IRA’s. The Heroes Earned Retirement Opportunities Act makes it possible for soldiers fighting in a combat zone to make contributions to a Roth IRA based on their tax-free pay, including any combat pay from January of 2004 through May of 2006.

Military personnel who are Ohio residents currently deployed outside of the state will qualify for free preparation of their 2007 individual or joint local, state and federal personal tax returns. 

To take part in Operation CPA, qualified service personnel, their spouse or family member may call The Ohio Society of CPAs toll-free at 888.959.1212 or e-mail cpanswers@ohio-cpa.com.  Military personnel will be matched with a CPA from their area.

“On behalf of the Ohio National Guard, we appreciate the generous support for deployed service members who have put their civilian lives on hold to answer the call,” said Lt. Col. Robert Bramlish, director of the Ohio National Guard Family Readiness Program.

Operation CPA is part of Financial Fitness Ohio, The Ohio Society of CPAs effort provide the public with knowledge and strategies for managing their money and reaching personal financial goals. To learn more about Financial Fitness Ohio, including a section specifically for military families, go to http://www.financialfitnessohio.com/.

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The Ohio Society of CPAs, established in 1908, represents more than 24,000 CPAs in business, education, government and public accounting. The Ohio Society’s members not only meet statutory and regulatory requirements as CPAs, but also embrace the highest standards of professional and ethical performance. This is achieved through ongoing professional education, comprehensive quality review and compliance with a strict Code of Professional Conduct.

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