Fort Meade, MD

Free tax assistance for military and dependents at Fort Meade

I just finished my taxes last night *phew* after fighting my way through the incredibly frustrating Maryland taxes. The State is not making it very easy for military families. Thus, I'll likely take advantage of the free tax assistance offered to active-duty and retired military and their dependents at Fort Meade - just to be on the safe side. It would be nice if it could all be simple and straight-forward, but then it wouldn't be called doing your taxes.

The State of Maryland has a whole bunch of different tax scenarios for military troops stationed here, it can get very confusing: from single non-resident to married part-time resident with a full-time resident spouse. In some cases, military families are required to file 2 forms!

Where can you turn for help to prepare your 2012 taxes?

The State of Maryland has issued Administrative Release No. 1: Military Personnel and Civilian Spouses - Both Residents and Nonresidents of Maryland to provide guidance how the MD income tax law applies to troops and their families, it also addresses the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act.

The Fort Meade Tax Center is located on 4217 Roberts Ave and open from 8 am through 4 pm weekdays, appointments are recommended. It provides free assistance for active-duty and retired service members and their dependents with federal and state income forms!

If you do your taxes online, take advantage of a 25% military discount that TurboTax® offers through the Navy Federal Credit Union website. You must go through NFCU (but don't have to log on) to sign on, prepare and file your taxes through TurboTax® to be eligible for the discount.

Happy Tax Season!

A taste of Germany: chocolates, bread & wine at the Fort Meade commissary and local Maryland stores

Whenever I get a bit Germany-sick (I left Germany a long time ago and very much consider Maryland home) I opt to cure myself with a piece (or a few) of German chocolate or a glass of German wine.

A few years ago I had to rely on my family to send some German goodies or bring a suitcase full when they came to visit. Nobody knew what Nutella* (or similar hazelnut-chocolate spreads) was around here and I had to hunt down a nice bottle of German wine.

How things have changed!

Now I can shop at the commissary at Fort Meade and have quite a selection to choose from, nothing like a German grocery store of course but not bad. They have a variety of things and seem to be adding more and more: from bread to cookies, canned fish to Sauerkraut (of course), sauces to mustard and chocolates to Spaetzle (a type of noodle) ... Imagine my delight when I saw yet another German traditional food hit the shelves recently: Kaiserschmarrn (pictured) - impossible to translate but it's similar to funnel cakes. Mixed with eggs, fried in the pan and dusted with powdered sugar before serving ... mmmmmh!

Nutella (* Note: Nutella is an Italian product originally but it is also produced in Germany and very much a staple of the German diet) is also available at many regular grocery stores - but beware: it is highly addictive! It's just delicious on a piece of bread or bagel but you can also create lots of other sweet dishes with it, a Nutella cake for example! Target now also carries a selection of Rittersport and Milka chololates (the best!) and I no longer have to hunt for German wine.

Of course I still miss the local stuff - Halle/Saale, the city I grew up in, happens to be home to the oldest chocolate factory in the country, and throughout the region of Saxony-Anhalt they brew some great beer and make wonderful wines ... and then there are the breads and the cheeses (we live off that stuff!) but thank heavens there is a Trader Joe's 10 minutes from my house in Elkridge and another one close to my office in Silver Spring.

So next time all you can think off are sausages and Sauerkraut when you think of Germany ... have some Nutella, Spaetzle, chocolate, bread, cheese or wine ... Life is good & delicious!

If you're anticipating PCS orders to Fort Meade, you can look forward to living in a vibrant area within an hour of DC, Baltimore, and Annapolis, plus on-post activities that will keep you and your family members busy year-round. It's not just the big occasions, like July 4, when you have your choice of fireworks on the National Mall in DC, Fort McHenry in Baltimore, or on-post... there's something different every week that you can enjoy without even leaving the post.

Last week:

There was a Fall Craft Contest for Kids (5-9), Pre-Teens (10-12), Teens (13-18) and Adults; a 4-person scramble tournament at The Courses with special contests. food, prizes and good company; a program to help prepare adults and kids for leaving their pre-teens and teens home alone - i.e., teaching them how to prevent boredom, how to deal with conflict and safety tips for the kitchen. Not to mention

Ongoing activities:

NFL Sunday - Watch the game on eight 42" high-definition screens, with food service and full bar available

Credit Score Clinic - Every Wednesday you have an opportunity for reviewing your credit score and finding out what it means. Please call 301-677-5590 to make a 30-minute appointment.

Upcoming weekend, November 11 and 12:

Friday, November 11, 8 p.m. - Comedy Show at Club Meade featuring Danny Cho, Carson Daly, and a Pair of Nuts. Tickets are $5 in advance or $8 at the door. http://www.ftmeademwr.com

Friday, November 11, 10 p.m. (following the comedy show )- Latin Night. DJ for dancing the Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, Cumbia, House, Reggaetown and more. No cover charge. (301-677-6969 for more information)

Saturday, November 12, 8 a.m. - Turkey Trot Run, benfiting soldiers and their families who are experiencing financial difiiculty. Pre-register at http://www.ftmeademwr.com Bring a canned or non-perishable food item. This run is sponsored by SAIC of Maryland.

Thanksgiving Dinner:

Make your reservations now for Thanksgiving dinner at Club Meade. There will be 2 seatings, Noon-2 p.m. and 3-5 p.m. Call (301) 677-6969. Why cook, clean and spend your day in the kitchen when you don't have to?

For a complete calendar of November activities for Fort Meade families, click on this flier from FMWR.

A columnist for The Washington Times contacted me last week for an article she is writing, and this is the question she asked me: What makes you a military specialist?

Of course, any agent can work with a relocating military family, whether they're coming or going. And most of those transactions will be successful. However, many military families prefer to work with a so-called "military specialist."

There's no professional designation or rulebook for real estate agents to be considered a "military specialist" but there may be certain expectations on the part of service members and their spouses. My military clients tell me they're looking for an agent who brings these qualifications to the table:

1. "Been there, done that," as a member of the military or a military spouse.
   Military families seem to appreciate that I've experienced military moves myself and have some idea of what they're going through. It creates an instant bond. An agent who hasn't "been there, done that" in terms of serving in the military can, however, still claim expertise in this niche market if they've built a network of previous military clients and have a good handle on items 2-5 below.
   
   
2. Understand military pay.
   Accurately pre-qualifying a military home buyer requires familiarity with the elements of their paycheck: i.e., cost of living adjustments for the local area and/or dependents, non-taxable income, and allowances for certain areas of expertise (such as flight pay).
   
   
3. Equipped for (and comfortable with) selling to absentee clients.
   In many cases, the service member with PCS orders arrives in town with only 2-3 days to find a home, while the spouse is home with the kids - or the miliary spouse is home-shopping while the service member is deployed. It's very helpful when the agent is adept at setting up conference calls or uses Skype, Go-to-meeting, Web-ex or another online communication tool to facilitate conversations with both buyers. Additionally, it's been my experience that absentee buyers appreciate hyper-local blog posts, photos, and neighborhood videos.
   
   
4. Familiarity with military facilities and services in the area.
   Military families have all the usual concerns of any relocating family plus others that are specific to them, such as health care options (Tri-care or USFHP?) or on-post recreation facilities, shopping, family services, organizations, and events. They want to know about temporary housing options for them and their pets, especially if they can't close on a home before their reporting date. In some cases, this could be an extended stay of 30-60 days.
   
   
5. Knowledge about (and experience with) military-specific programs.
   Military home sellers and buyers may be eligible for some programs not available to the everyone such as The DOD Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP), The Service Members Civil Relief Act, and the Home Affordable Military Modification Program, as well as programs available also to veterans, such as VA Financing, and the VA Compromise. In this market, there are many "underwater" home owners, and my military clients seem to be reassured by the fact that I have experience with both the HAP program and VA compromise.

This list will help you know what questions to ask any agent if you're a service member looking for a "military specialist" - whether their marketing does or does not mention that phrase.

This is the information that I shared with the reporter... it will be interesting to see how much of it she and her editors elect to include in the article. When it's published, I'll post a link to it in the comments.

Proud to provide relocation assitance to military and civilian personnel at Fort Meade, Andrews AFB,
the U.S. Naval Academy and military establishments throughout the greater D.C.-Baltimore area.

PCS to Fort Meade - if you have just picked orders to Fort Meade, all I can say is CONGRATULATIONS! Fort Meade is a great base in a wonderful area. The good news is, there is so much to do in Central Maryland. The bad news is, there is so much to do in Central Maryland. You probably wont have the time to do it all!

THINGS TO DO AND PLACES TO VISIT AROUND FORT GEORGE G. MEADE

The close proximity to downtown Baltimore and Washington DC lends itself to days of sightseeing. If you feel like hitting the beach you can try one of the local beaches along the Chesapeake Bay or take the drive across the Bay Bridge and head to Ocean City, Dewey Beach or Bethany Beach - and while you are there, don't forget to check out Assateague Island!

If you like being outdoors you can go hiking or mountain biking in Patapsco Valley State Park (free admission for military) there are more than 16,000 acres along the Patapsco River to explore! Centennial Park in Ellicott City, MD is a favorite among the locals for a nice afternoon jog or a leisurely walk around the lake with the family. Gorgeous - especially in the fall - you can feed the geese, fish or rent a boat to take in the scenery from the middle of the lake.

The many quaint historic Main streets are so inviting you'll return again and again. Just pick a Saturday afternoon and head on over to Ellicott City or Annapolis for example, you will not regret it. If you are up for a day-trip make your way west to New Market or Frederick, and stop by one of the local farms on your way for some pick-your-own vegetables and fruits - Larriland is a favorite all throughout summer and fall.

You can also easily spend a whole day at Arundel Mills Mall or The Mall in Columbia - both make for extraordinary shopping but Arundel Mills Mall has quite a few outlet stores of which Tommy Hilfiger Outlet, Calvin Klein Outlet and the Stride Rite/Keds Outlet offer an additional 10% military discount.

There's Six Flags in Prince George's County for a fun-family day or Hershey Park and Dutch Wonderland in PA if your kids are smaller. A yearly trip to Dutch Wonderland is a must for my family, you can make it there, spend a few hours creating great memories, and make it back home for dinner in one day. They also offer a small military discount ($3 off regular admission).

If you are looking for more kids-centered activities, check out the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, the National Zoo on Connecticut Ave NW in Washington DC (close to WRNMMCB) Port Discovery Children's Museum (small military discount) in downtown Baltimore or Clark's Elioak Farm on Route 108 in Ellicott City. Clark's Elioak Farm is a place your children will want to return again and again - it's guaranteed - Hayrides, Pony rides, an Enchanted Forest and a Petting Zoo just to name a few of their attractions. Ellicott City is also home to the B&O Railroad Museum which regularly holds special events for children.

THAT is Fort Meade in a nutshell - or, actually it's just the tip of the iceberg - there is just so much to do and to explore, it's impossible to name it all. Your time at Fort Meade in Central Maryland is sure to be an interesting and fun-filled one if you take advantage of the many attractions and special events the area has to offer.

WELCOME TO FORT MEADE!