Ohio CPAs to Prepare Tax Returns Free of Charge for Deployed Troops

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio
Society of CPAs (OSCPA) will once again provide free tax preparation services
to Ohio military families this tax season.

From January through April, many Ohio Certified Public Accountants will volunteer
to prepare 2009 tax returns for military personnel who are permanent residents
of Ohio and currently deployed outside of the state.

Operation CPA is a partnership with the Ohio National Guard, and provides a
valuable service to help ease the burden of deployment on Ohio military families.

“Ohio Military families have enough challenges when a family member is
away on active duty,” said J. Clarke Price, president and CEO of OSCPA.
“The Ohio Society of CPAs offers this much-needed service to support men
and women who are serving our country, and to give their loved ones one less
thing to worry about.”

Ohio CPAs can volunteer to prepare tax returns or refer military families for
tax preparation services by calling 888.959.1212.

The Ohio Society also wanted to remind tax professionals of the special provisions
of the first time homebuyer credit that allows additional qualifying time for
service members.

The Worker, Homeownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009 extends and expands
the first-time homebuyer credit for eligible taxpayers who buy, or enter into
a binding contract to buy, a principal residence on or before April 30, 2010
and close on the home by June 30, 2010. Taxpayers have the option of claiming
the credit on either their 2009 or 2010 return.

Members of the military and certain other federal employees serving outside
the U.S. have until April 30, 2011 to buy a principal U.S. residence, and until
June 30, 2011, to close on the purchase. The extension applies to any individual
(and, if married, the individual’s spouse) who serves on qualified official
extended duty service outside of the United States for at least 90 days during
the period beginning after Dec. 31, 2008, and ending before May 1, 2010.

For more details on the first-time homebuyer credit, visit the IRS Web site
for military personnel: www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=97273,00.html

Additional tax tips from the Ohio Society of CPAs Tax Headquarters: www.ohioscpa.com/Content/TaxHeadquarters.aspx
and at www.financialfitnessohio.com.