Bigger Tax Bill Could Come To S.C. Guardsmen, Reservists

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Some National Guard and Reserve soldiers called to active duty last year may face a big income tax bill April 15.

State income tax was not deducted from the military paychecks for Guard and Reserve troops.

The Defense Financial Accounting System only deducts state income tax for military personnel assigned to a permanent duty station, such as Fort Jackson.

Guard and Reserve members called to active duty at military and government installations in the United States or overseas who are not in a combat zone must pay income taxes.

That includes South Carolina Guardsmen who guarded al-Qaeda and Taliban prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Income taxes are not collected from troops in combat zones. At least 2,000 Guard members and reservists from South Carolina have been deployed to the Persian Gulf.