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Commanders Corner
Dear Marines, Sailors and family members of CLB 4512014 is upon us! Its incredible to me that despite us just celebrating New Years and Valentines Day, we are already looking to the summer months and larger training opportunities. I am pleased to report that we have already successfully led and supported two EEAP (Exercise Equipment Allowance Pool) exercises in 29 Palms, had over 60 Marines redeploy home from Afganistan and other locations, and are looking forward to welcoming home even more later this year. Please keep them in your thoughts as you read about all of our nations forward deployed forces. We are truly representing our country actively through our collective deployments, training and efforts to maintain a high sense of readiness. As usual, your Unit, Personal and Family Readiness team has pulled together a great newsletter for you. Its full of good information focused on finances, and as we enter tax season, I think you and your family will find it a great read. Semper Fidelis, LtCol K.D. Pierson Commanding Officer Combat Logistics Battalion 451
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short term interest rate when they first sign up. After a set amount of time has passed, that rate has gone up. This is especially a boon if they can get an individual to transfer in a high balance. This will allow them to make even more revenue based on interest rates. If that is not enough, the companies will even charge an annual fee just for the privilege of using their card. Consumer protection is the next item on the line for them to check. The companies will offer protection against fraudulent charges and identity theft. Most will do this as a baseline service for just being a customer. However, many will offer better protection services for a monthly or annual fee. All of this just to get consumers to use credit for their purchases. At the end of the day, consumers are sold on the ideas of status in society , manageable debt that everyone has and safety. The disappointing piece of this is that we as consumers continue to buy it. Nor does it stop there. If an individual becomes too overburdened with debt, they can claim bankruptcy and shed a high percentage of their debt. One would think they would learn from their financial mistakes and become better at managing their budgets. The credit card companies have an answer for this as well. Now they can offer those consumers credit cards at a higher interest rate or prepaid cards. This helps insure that they do not get out of the habit of using credit cards. Bottom line, we as consumers seemed to have forgotten the idea of living within our means and saving for those items we desire. Instead we have become more in tune with instant gratification for those things in life we covet. Credit is a hard drug habit to break and the statement of "credit means get it" really caters to our inner most child and sense of unaccountability. This does not need to be the way things. So I will throw this question out to you; what's in your wallet? **If you find that you are struggling financially, whether in crisis mode or just simply trying to learn to budget, please contact our Family Readiness Officer who can provide you with some great resources.** Semper Fi! SgtMaj Neel
Kati
COMBAT LOGISTICS BATTALION 451 UNIT, PERSONAL & FAMILY READINESS
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Chaps Chat:
Greetings Marines, Sailors, and Families! What do you think about this time of year? How about budget cuts, money, federal debt, making ends meet, school loans, IRS, etc? According to the 2012 and 2013 Command Survey of all12 drill sites of CLB 451, money is one of the biggest issues that most of you face. How is this going for you? Are you living from pay-check to pay-check? What is your level of financial stress? God did not intend for you to live with so much stress. So what can you and I do to mitigate stress in this major area of our lives? Let us look at just two basic principles from the Bible about money. Plan ahead. Proverbs 27:23-27 states we ought to always know the exact value of our wealth (or lack of it). "Yeah, Chaps, we hear you. But there is not enough coming in." This is even more reason to know both what is coming in and what is going out. If you are in a hole, don't fret. When you are surrounded by the enemy, do you just give up? No, you regroup--quickly and efficiently. You need to both RECORD your income and expenses, as well as BUDGET so you don't get caught surrounded by the enemy (e.g. unpaid bills). Please don't spend $20.00 a day on snacks, cigarettes, and alcohol--and wonder why you don't have $600 ($20 x 30) at the end of the month for rent. Prioritize! Be calm. Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us the futility of being anxious. Matthew 6:25-33 reminds us that God cares for each one of you and your needs. Who among us really has enough money? The rich fret over how to not loose what they have. The poor fret over how to get more to begin with. Those in between fret about how to get richer. So we all fret. But should we? I Timothy 6:6-10 is another great passage on wealth. Dave Ramsey, the creator of "Financial Peace University," has excellent information about money and debt, along with 7 basic principle of financial peace. Google Dave Ramsey" and you will have help at your fingertips. Another excellent web site about what help the Bible may provide for your financial needs is http://www.learnthebible.org/debt_free.htm. Let us always be content, work hard, and prioritize our choices. Live in peace! Blessings, Chaps LT Shawn J. Turpin, Command Chaplain chaplainturpin@me.com / 864-325-1828
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CREDO Opportunities
The real measure of your wealth is how much you'd be worth if you lost all your money. ~Author Unknown
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eMarine!!
The eMarine website is a secure site available only to Marines, Service Members, Civilians serving Marines and their Family Members. This system will provide Family Members with a valuable tool to access documents, view photos/videos, participate in forums, and gain important information about their Marine's Unit from anywhere in the world, 24/7. A Unit's eMarine site promotes a community feeling within Units by providing a place that is customized to the Unit and contains content that is controlled by the Unit. These sites can be accessed any time to view information and photos, read stories, ask questions, participate in Forums, and much more. Online tools include: Announcements Photo Gallery Download Center News Links Frequently Asked Questions Forum Streaming Video Calendar Survey
CLB-451 will update our eMarine page every month to share announcements, information, and resources. If you have suggestions for the page, please dont hesitate to contact our FRO. ***This is your page and we WELCOME your feedback! ***
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Get Ready to File Your Tax Return FREE Tax Prep cont.
Before starting to file your tax return, it is helpful if you gather all necessary tax documents and additional information. April may seem a long way off, but it will be here before you know it. Are you ready for tax filing? Rather than putting this task off until the last minute, why not reduce your stress and take steps to be prepared. Before starting to file your tax return, it is helpful if you gather all necessary tax documents and additional information such as:
"We make Marines and we win our nations battles. Then we turn those men and women back to Americas society better people."
(Quote by General Krulak, 31st Commandant, USMC)
Social Security numbers and date of birth for you, your spouse, and dependents child care, education, and adoption costs W-2 Forms for all employers for you and your spouse investment income forms alimony information Social Security benefits miscellaneous income Form 1098-E for student loan interest Form 1098 for home mortgage interest charitable donations medical and dental expenses real estate taxes If you have kept careful records, the above items will be easy to find. There are many reasons to keep records. In addition to tax purposes, you may need to keep records for insurance purposes or for getting a loan. Good records will help you: Identify sources of income. You may receive money or property from a variety of sources. Your records can identify the sources of your income. You need this information to separate business from nonbusiness income and taxable from nontaxable income. Keep track of expenses. You may forget an expense unless you record it when it occurs. You can use your records to identify expenses for which you can claim a deduction. This will help you determine if you can itemize deductions on your tax return. Keep track of the basis of property. You need to keep records that show the basis of your property. This includes the original cost or other basis of the property and any improvements you made. Support items reported on tax returns. You must keep records in case the IRS has a question about an item on your return. If the IRS examines your tax return, you may be asked to explain the items reported. Good records will help you explain any item and arrive at the correct tax with a minimum of effort. If you do not have records, you may have to spend time getting statements and receipts from various sources. If you cannot produce the correct documents, you may have to pay additional tax and be subject to penalties.
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"We make Marines and we win our nations battles. Then we turn those men and women back to Americas society better people."
(Quote by General Krulak, 31st Commandant , USMC)
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State residency rules for spouses Service members often retain residency status in their home states, despite frequent moves during active duty. If you are a military spouse, the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act allows you also to retain residency status in your home state if you move with your spouse. Under these rules, the pay you earn where your spouse is stationed may not be taxed there, but instead in the home state. Residency must be declared and you must meet these 3 requirements to qualify for relief: You moved with the service member to the duty state in compliance with military orders. You are living in the state solely to be with the service member. You and the service member share the same home state. If you have questions about filing your tax return, please call 1-800-342-9647 and ask to speak with a Military OneSource tax counselor. Trained tax counselors are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET year-round, and with extended hours during tax season: 7 days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., ET. Source: The Tax Institute at H&R Block
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"We make Marines and we win our nations battles. Then we turn those men and women back to Americas society better people."
(Quote by General Krulak, 31st Commandant, USMC)
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Mess Night was a blast and fun was had by all! Congratulations to the following Marines who were surprised with NAMs at Mess Night: LCpl Petrillo Cpl Kush Sgt Boushey Sgt Moore
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"We make Marines and we win our nations battles. Then we turn those men and women back to Americas society better people."
(Quote by General Krulak, 31st Commandant, USMC)
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Capt Chad Clark Recent Deployment Returns: - SSgt Furner - Cpl Esparza - Capt Gonzalez - Sgt Clarke - Sgt Hernandez - Sgt Viera - Cpl Comer Recent Promotions: - Cpl Frost - LCpl Tomashevskyy - Cpl Rivera - LCpl Spence - LCpl Dagley - LCpl White - LCpl Guarnieri - LCpl Plaza
Military Spouses: www.milspouse.com Marine Parents: www.marineparents.com Blue Star Mothers: www.bluestarmothers.org Marine Corps Community Services: www.usmc-mccs.org Military Pay: www.dfas.mil/militarypay.html Tricare: www.tricare.mil/mybenefit American Red Cross: www.redcross.org Marine Forces Reserve: www.marforres.usmc.mil Official Marine Corps Website: www.marines.mil DStress: www.dstressline.com or 877-476-7734 National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-TALK ((8255) National Resource Directory: www.nationalresourcedirectory.gov Military One Source Crisis and Prevention Page: www.militaryonesource.mil/crisis-prevention