Issa introduces bill to ease burden of relocation for military families

Military families would be able to establish a consistent state of residency to simplify tax planning and voter registration under legislation recently introduced by U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA).

Under current laws, active duty service members are able to maintain a single state of residency for tax and voting purposes even if military orders force them to relocate multiple times. Spouses, however, can be forced to establish residency in multiple new locations in a single year.

The Military Residency Choice Act would enable military spouses to choose to establish the same state of residency as their service member spouse for all future relocations, correcting current issues that lead to tax and voting complications.

“Military families sacrifice a great deal for us all,” Issa said. “They’re often transferred from place to place, uprooting their lives each time they receive a change of station orders. Each transition requires difficult adjustments as they adapt to new schools, new jobs, new churches and new communities. They shouldn’t be burdened yet again when tax time comes around.”

The Military Choice and Residency Act, Issa added, is a straightforward update to the law that would simplify tax planning for military families by enabling them to claim the same state of residency as their service member spouses.

“It’s a simple fix, but it will go a long way in making life easier for those who already have given so much,” Issa said.

U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA), who introduced the bill with Issa, said the last thing military families need is additional stress during tax season.

“Allowing military families to establish a consistent state of residency will give spouses the confidence to rejoin the workforce when they move and help them better provide for their families,” Wittman said. “Our nation’s military is only as strong as the men and women serving and the families who support them. Passing this simple residency fix will send a strong signal to our military families that we have their best interests at heart.”