TRAINEE GUIDE - Recruit Training Command - The US Navy

TRAINEE GUIDE A-950-0001
RECRUIT TRAINING SPECIFIC ITEMS
LEGAL READINESS FOR NEW SAILORS
Before coming on active duty, you may not have given much thought to arranging
your legal and financial affairs. The following contains suggestions, which
may make your period of military service run more smoothly.
Legal Assistance attorneys can assist you and your dependents with civil legal
matters, at no cost to you. They can provide powers of attorney, write wills,
notarize documents; review contracts and leases, and provide advice on many
areas of law. They cannot, however, represent you in civilian court. If you
need to go to court, they will refer you to a civilian attorney through a local
bar association.
If you have questions or need assistance in any of the areas discussed, contact
the Legal Assistance Office. The Legal Assistance Office will be located at
the Naval Legal Service Office at your base. If there is none available,
contact a Staff Judge Advocate or ask your LPO about the location of the
nearest military attorney.
Legal Residence: Your legal residence (also called “domicile”) is the place
that you consider your true, fixed, and permanent home. It is the place you
intend to return to after separating or retiring from the military. It is
possible to change your legal residence during your time in the military; this
can affect how you vote, pay taxes, register your vehicle, and other legal
processes so it’s best to consult a Legal Assistance Attorney before you do so.
Also note that your legal residence is a separate term than your “home of
record”, or the place where you joined the military. Normally they are the
same, but it is possible for them to be different.
Voting: If you were not registered to vote when you left your home state and
wish to register now, contact your command Voting Assistance Officer. If you
are already registered to vote and now live outside your home state, you may
vote an absentee ballot. Your command Voting Assistance Officer can help.
Debts: There is no law that wipes out your previous debts just because you
came on active duty. You are still required to pay them. You are also
responsible for the joint debts of you and your spouse if your name is on the
debt, even if he/she is the only one using the account. Under the Service
member’s Civil Relief Act, you may be able to reduce the interest rate on some
of the debts you had before coming on active duty to 6%. If you need help
working out a budget, the Legal Assistance Office can help.
Income Tax: You are not excused from paying federal and state income taxes
because of military service; though there are some states that do not tax the
military pay of their residents. You can get help filling out your income tax
returns through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program on base at
the Family Service Center. You can have your returns filed electronically and
decrease the waiting time for your refund. A Legal Assistance Attorney can
answer specific tax questions.
Property Tax: You must pay property tax on your possessions in the state of
your legal residence, if it is required by the state. The state in which you
live in only because of military service is prohibited under the Service
member’s Civil Relief Act from taxing your property. You cannot be taxed by
two states.
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