Page 5 - Ft. Irwin High Desert Warrior, December 2020

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High Desert Warrior 5 December 2020
News
Guardians of the Night: NTC Military Working Dog teams now 100% certified
By Lt. Tyler J. Ambrose
Directorate of Emergency Services
FORT IRWIN, Calif. — The National Training Center and Fort Irwin’s Directorate of Emergency Services (DES) completed their Military Working Dog (MWD) Certifications from Nov. 16 – 20.
All four Fort Irwin MWD teams certified and are 100% ready to support not only the Fort Irwin community but the entire region of Southern California. There are few, if any other, United States Army Installations that have certified all of their MWD teams, especially within one week.
MWDs are an essential and prized law enforcement asset to have on any United States Military Installation. Both the dogs and their handlers
work every day to prepare to become certified teams able to conduct their duties by protecting the community.
There are two types of MWDs at Fort Irwin— one is used for tracking down and identifying narcotics and the other helps identify explosives. During these certifications, both dog and handler go through train- ing scenarios to make sure they are operating in a synchronized manner to locate the specific substance/ ordnance that the particular team is trained to do.
NTC’s K-9 teams are now able to operate on multiple military installa- tions to prevent drug trafficking, as- sist in locating unexploded ordnances and possible insider threats, and keep the military community safe.
No news may not be good news
By Cynthia M. Bernstine,
Legal Assistance Office and Tax Center
FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Starting with the September 2020 mid-month pay, eligible employees started seeing more take-home pay due to the deferral of certain payroll tax obligations. To date, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has not put out guidance on whether or how that money will be collected. The Fort Irwin Legal Assistance Office and Tax Center urges that it’s better to have the money and not need it, than to need it and not have it.
On Aug. 8, President Donald Trump is- sued a Memorandum for the Secretary of the Treasury authorizing deferral of payroll tax obligations in order to, “put money directly in the pockets of American workers and generate additional incentives for work and employment....”
On Aug. 28, the Treasury Department and IRS released guidance as to which taxes would be deferred and who is eligible, but guidance on how the deferred taxes will be collected still has not been published.
The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) sent out details regarding withholding, which state that servicemem- bers making less than $8,666.66 in monthly base pay and civilian employees making less than $4,000 per bi-weekly pay period, will have the 6.2% Social Security tax automati- cally deferred. There will not be any ability
to opt-in for people at or above those limits, nor an ability for eligible employees to opt- out. The determination will be made each pay period, so a promotion or pay cut may change eligibility during the deferral period. According to the guidance, the deferral will end at the end of the year on Dec. 31.
The current guidance from the Depart- ment of Treasury indicates that, “the due date for the withholding and payment of the tax...is postponed until the period beginning on January 1, 2021, and ending on April 30, 2021.” That means those affected can expect the deferred taxes will be collected as well as the normal withholding, leading to much smaller paychecks in the New Year.
As we approach the holiday season, especially with so many of us taking oppor- tunity leave, it is very important to budget accordingly.
Consider these tips:
• Take the normally withheld amount and set up an allotment to a savings account. Having DFAS take the decision out of it will make you more likely to save it, and conse- quently, to have it if you need it next year.
• Holiday sales are tempting, but remem- ber, spending to save is still spending, not saving. Budget for gifts (including gifts to yourself ) and stay within that budget.
• If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is; especially due to the increase in online shopping due to COVID-19, instances of scamming, fraud, and identity
theft are on the rise. Protect your PII by using only reputable sites for purchases, trustworthy methods of payment, and checking your bank statements and credit report often. www.annualcreditreport.com is providing free credit reports weekly through April 2021. (https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/ articles/0155-free-credit-reports)
• Talk to a Certified Financial Counselor at ACS (DSN: 312-470-9194; Comm: 760- 380-9194; Bldg. 109) or at Military One Source (www.militaryonesource.mil or 1-800-342-9647) to determine what’s best for you and your family. They can help you
make a budget, give advice on investments, and guidance on debt management.
If you have any questions regarding defer- ral of certain payroll tax obligations, please call 760-380-5321 for a legal appointment. Phones are live 1p.m. – 4p.m., Mondays and Thursdays; 8a.m. – 4p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Our in-office hours of Operation are 1p.m. – 4p.m., Mondays and Thursdays and 9a.m. – 4p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The phones and office are closed from 11:30a.m. – 1p.m. for lunch.
For more information go to home.army.mil/irwin