Tax season is officially upon us as we move into the new year. Tax Day is Tuesday, April 18, and this is a perfect time to refresh yourself on veterans’ tax benefits in West Virginia. Learning what benefits you or a loved one might qualify to receive is essential.
The Military Retirement Pay State Income Tax is available for any West Virginian that receives a military retirement income paid by the United States or the state of West Virginia. This retirement income is exempt from state income tax and includes income from the regular Armed Forces, Reserves and National Guard.
The Homestead Exemption is for veterans with 100% permanent and total service-connected disabilities. Any veteran who believes they qualify for the exemption should contact the assessor in the county in which they live to determine their eligibility.
West Virginia offers a $20,000 property tax exemption to veterans rated 100% disabled by the U.S. Veterans Administration. The veteran must be the owner or occupier of the home. The veteran must also be a West Virginia resident for two consecutive years before filing the claim and meet other residency requirements if they enter the U.S. Armed Forces from West Virginia.
You can speak to one of our VSOs at your local Benefits Office to see if you qualify for this exemption. To find which office serves your county, visit https://veterans.wv.gov/field-office/Pages/default.aspx.
West Virginia veterans’ spouses may also qualify for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Disability Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). DIC is a tax-free monetary benefit paid to eligible survivors of military service members who died in the line of duty or eligible survivors of Veterans whose death resulted from a service-related injury or disease.
To learn more about tax benefits for Veterans, visit: https://veterans.wv.gov/Benefits/Pages/default.aspx. And remember to file your taxes by April 18!