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New Member
posted Jan 30, 2023 6:31:34 AM

Does Turbo Tax account for the Virginia Military Retirement Income change for 2022? It is reduced on first $10,000 for retirees over 55.

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24 Replies
Expert Alumni
Jan 30, 2023 6:42:11 AM

Yes. TurboTax is set up to handle the new Virginia military benefits subtraction.

 

For taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2022, certain military benefits received by an individual age 55 or older may be subtracted from Virginia taxable income.

 

The maximum amount of the subtraction is $10,000 in Taxable Year 2022.

 

To claim your Military Benefits Subtraction:

 

  1. Tap State Taxes in the left column
  2. Tap Your State Returns
  3. On “Status of your state returns,” tap Continue next to Virginia
  4. Keep going until you see “Here’s the income that Virginia handles differently”
  5. In Military, select Military Benefits Subtraction
  6. On Enter Your Military Benefits, enter the Total Qualifying Military Benefits Received up to $10,000

 

Thank you for your service.

Level 2
Feb 19, 2023 12:59:58 PM

There is a new Tax Law in Virginia effective for your2022 income which provides up to a $10k deduction on Virginia income if you are 55 or older and receive retired military pay.  You MUST enter this data proactively.  TurboTax does NOT ask this obvious question but should.  There is NO prompt from TurboTax as of today (2/19/2023) for this Virginia deduction.  Perhaps, it will be included in a future update and hopefully added for next year!  Follow the above instructions to get the deduction.

 
 

New Member
Mar 17, 2023 7:03:03 AM

My husband and I are both retired and receiving a military retirement and over the age of 55.  Is it $10,000 per military member or total of $10,000?

Expert Alumni
Mar 17, 2023 7:30:33 AM

Yes, it is $10,000 per military member, so if you both qualify and file jointly, it will be $20,000. You can follow the instructions in Ernie's post to claim this subtraction. 

New Member
Mar 19, 2023 11:47:10 AM

Yes. Follow Ernie's instructions.  TurboTax is set up to handle the new Virginia Military Benefits Subtraction

 

Key is to look for Military Benefits deduction.

New Member
Mar 29, 2023 12:26:39 PM

I cannot find the old Virginia Deduction for Military Basic Pay. : 

Deduction for Military Basic Pay

Military personnel stationed inside or outside Virginia may be eligible to subtract up to $15,000 of military basic pay received during the taxable year, provided they are on extended active duty for more than 90 days. For every $1.00 of income over $15,000, the maximum subtraction is reduced by $1.00. For example, if your basic pay is $16,000, you are entitled to deduct only $14,000. You are not eligible for the subtraction if your military basic pay is $30,000 or more.

 

for UNDER 55, where is it? It was there last year

Expert Alumni
Mar 30, 2023 6:58:15 AM

It appears you may be mixing two different deductions.  The VA deduction for "Active Duty Military Pay" is still in the VA state interview for up to $15,000 of active duty pay for VA residents if they served on active duty 90 days or more.  The interview question asking if the taxpayer served over 90 days on active duty appears in the VA state interview after entering a military W2 in the federal interview and indicating on the follow on page "Uncommon Situations" that the W2 is "Active Duty Military Pay."  The deduction as described is reduced $1 for every $1 over $15,000 of active duty pay. 

 

There is no VA deduction for "Military Retirement Pay" received by taxpayers under age 55.   

New Member
Mar 30, 2023 2:14:01 PM

The turbo instructions state that individuals over 55, including surviving spouses, receiving military retirement income, are eligible for the Military Benefits Subtraction ("MBS").  Is a former spouse of a living military retiree also eligible for the MBS?  Assume each person's pension is over $10,000.

Expert Alumni
Mar 30, 2023 4:19:12 PM

Former spouse is not listed unless you have a special situation related to the Internal Revenue Code. VA subtractions gives these rules:

Military Retirement

Beginning with your 2022 Virginia income tax return (returns filed in 2023), you can claim a subtraction for certain military benefits if you’re 55 or older. These include:

  • military retirement income received for service in the Armed Forces of the United States,
  • qualified military benefits received pursuant to a section of the Internal Revenue Code regarding certain military benefits,
  • benefits paid to the surviving spouse of a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States under the Survivor Benefit Plan program established by the U.S. Department of Defense, and
  • military benefits paid to the surviving spouse of a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States.

If you claim this subtraction, you can’t claim another subtraction, deduction, credit, or exemption for the same income. 

@Ian3w3st

Level 2
Apr 7, 2023 1:40:25 PM

Thanks very much for providing this information.  I already e filed and am eligible for this deduction and didn't know you had to go through this procedure to receive this $10,000 deduction.  This should automatically be captured in the program. I wonder how many military retirees now are over paying Virginia taxes? Probably thousands. Turbo Tax needs to fix this glitch.

New Member
May 1, 2023 12:53:26 PM

How do you do this? Where am I looking in turbotax program? Why doesn't it have a prompt like most situations?

The maximum amount of the subtraction is $10,000 in Taxable Year 2022.

 

To claim your Military Benefits Subtraction:

 

  1. Tap State Taxes in the left column
  2. Tap Your State Returns
  3. On “Status of your state returns,” tap Continue next to Virginia
  4. Keep going until you see “Here’s the income that Virginia handles differently”
  5. In Military, select Military Benefits Subtraction
  6. On Enter Your Military Benefits, enter the Total Qualifying Military Benefits Received up to $10,000

New Member
May 12, 2023 1:39:40 PM

Thanks.  I have already submitted my taxes, so I need to amend the state return.  I can't figure out how to do that without going through the entire federal return process.  Is there another way?

Level 1
Dec 26, 2023 2:40:27 PM

In addition, this is what you get from the experts when you google the subject: 

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/military/states-that-dont-tax-military-retirement/L6oKaePdA

'Seven states tax military retirement pay fully and offer little to no tax benefits for retirement income: California, Georgia, Montana, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia.'

 

This is not accurate and my 2022 Virginia return (using TurboTax) did not account for the change in the law.

Level 15
Dec 26, 2023 3:39:51 PM

@kivlint Reported to TurboTax for correction on that website you posted.

 

Georgia has also changed their tax code for military retirement income.

 

For Virginia -

Virginia Taxable Income Subtraction for Military Retired Pay: Virginia has a graduated income subtraction for military retired pay. For the 2022 tax year resident Veterans aged 55 and over who are receiving military retired pay can deduct $10,000 from their Virginia taxable income. This subtraction will increase each year by $10,000 until the 2025 tax year, for a maximum subtraction of $40,000.

  • 2022 - $10,000
  • 2023 - $20,000
  • 2024 - $30,000
  • 2025 - $40,000

Level 1
Feb 17, 2024 7:04:34 AM

I was unaware of this deduction until I was completing my 2023 taxes.  On what 2022 Turbo Tax screen does one see "State Taxes in the left column"??  I am not finding it so can't even start creating an amended return.

 Not impressed that updates to the 2022 Turbo Tax program did not update the Virgina tax procedure to account for this significant change.

 

Expert Alumni
Feb 18, 2024 12:22:50 PM

If using TurboTax online sign in to your account and scroll down to your tax documents.  There you will see an amend option. Choose the amend option for the prior year return.  Once you are in your 2022 return, on the left hand side you will see items like "Federal" "Wages & Income" Deductions & Credits" and "State Taxes." In the State Taxes dropdown you will find the topic "Your State Returns."  Click that option to take you to your state returns. 

 

NOTE:  Since you are amending your state return and not your federal return here is a link that will help you complete the process. The link also has instructions if you need to use a desktop product. 

New Member
Mar 23, 2024 8:35:12 AM

Does Virginia tax military retirement pay and if so by how much?

gtmohawkjr

 

My military retired home of record is Texas but I got a new job in Virginia.  How is my military retirement taxed?

gtmohawkjr

 

New Member
Mar 23, 2024 8:52:29 AM

WOW!!

THANKS FOR THE VIRGINIA UPDATE FOR US VETS AT OR OVER 55 REGARDING MILITARY RETIREMENT PAY.

Level 1
Apr 15, 2024 3:19:52 AM

Chas11,

Turbotax did not update nor give you any prompt to to claim this significant new change to Virginia Tax Law for military retirees.

My own opinion is that a majority of the people who qualify to take this deduction will never take it.

They won't go looking for this deduction because they don't know it exists and Turbotax will never prompt

them.

I personally to this deduction on my 2022 and 2023 state returns because I knew about it.

Although wasn't aware of the increase in the deduction limit from $10,000 to $20,000.

Turbotax calculation was a refund of $70 with claiming to deduction.

After I corrected my return with the deduction.   $720 refund.

$650 difference which Turbotax mistake would have cost.

Turbotax guarantee = fail

For most people, $650 is a lot of money.

How do I get a refund?

 

 

 

Level 2
Apr 15, 2024 5:06:38 AM

File an amendment by following the instructions in Turbo Tax. I haven't done it for a long time so I can't recall how to do it. 

Level 1
Apr 15, 2024 5:25:24 AM

Thank you dnrcald3.

Sorry but mistake in original post.

I should have said:  In the final review of my state return I realized the deduction had not been applied.

And added the deduction manually before e-filing by returns. 

New Member
Apr 16, 2024 1:43:24 PM

how to I get this if I have already filed... can not believe this was not built in!  

We claim standard deductions.

Please advise

 

Level 2
Apr 16, 2024 1:51:53 PM

File an amendment using Turbo Tax instructions. I don't  remember how to do the amendment but it is built into Turbo Tax.

Level 15
Apr 16, 2024 2:03:48 PM


@Sadasat wrote:

how to I get this if I have already filed... can not believe this was not built in!  

We claim standard deductions.

Please advise

 


See this TurboTax support FAQ for amending a state tax return - https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-return/need-amend-state-return/L3hGFyaPp_US_en_US?uid=lv2vff7y