Art Sloane
How may you help veterans? Tax time is approaching in just one month and I like many others am not looking forward to it; BUT there is a way to save and not give as much to the state but to worthy causes. If you are married you may already know you may give up to $400 or $200 if single to two different groups. The first are the schools and the second is to the working poor. Then you deduct this as a tax credit. An example is e.g. “Pay the state $1,000, deduct $400 or $200 to schools and $400 or $200 to the working poor.” Arizona StandDowns with eight StandDowns in the state to help homeless or in need veterans and pay the state $200 or $600. The StandDowns are listed under the working poor tax credit but are used for veterans only. The lead agency is The Coalition to End Homelessness. You may send your donation to the Coalition to End Homelessness and put StandDown in the memo area on your check or make monthly payments all year and take the total amount given at the end of the year. After the tax credit on your state taxes you use your donation as a tax donation on your federal taxes. If you want to help all homeless leave the memo area blank. Send checks to the Coalition at 141 E. Palm Lane, Suite 5, Phoenix, AZ 85004.
I wrote about this charity in October and funds are still in need to help the troops overseas receive those goodies from home. The Military Family Support Charity has been sending packages to our troops overseas every month for the last 12 years. There is a flat rate postage because the packages are going overseas to our troops. Unfortunately they need money for the postage. They were unable to send packages for two months. For more information on this group go to [email protected] or send your donation to MFSG 15202 N. 10th Place, Phoenix AZ 85022.
Please make sure that all the bad publicity recently given to the Veterans Hospital and clinics does not make you turn away from using these facilities. It is also easier to register now. In years past you may have been turned down for registration because you were making too much money and had too many investments. No longer true. If you are reading this column you probably are retired and making a lot less and your investments do not count against you. So feel free to try and register again. Make a trip to the Southeast Clinic of the VA which is just a block and a half north of the Highway 202 at the Val Vista exit going east. Give me a call if you have questions; Art 480-802-6810.