State bonus payments. Bonus payments made by a state (or a political subdivision thereof) for service in a combat zone may not be taxable. See State bonus payments , later under Gross Income .

Earned income credit. The maximum amount of income you can earn and still claim the earned income credit has increased. You may be able to take the credit if you earned less than $38,646 ($41,646 for married filing jointly) if you have two or more qualifying children; $33,995 ($36,995 for married filing jointly) if you have one qualifying child; and, $12,880 ($15,880 for married filing jointly) if you do not have any qualifying children. See Earned Income Credit, later, under Credits.

Standard mileage rate. The standard mileage rate for the cost of operating your car for business use in 2008 is 50.5 cents a mile (58.5 cents a mile after June 30, 2008). The standard mileage rate for operating your car during 2008 to get medical care or to move is 19 cents a mile (27 cents a mile after June 30, 2008).

Recovery rebate credit. You may be able to claim the recovery rebate credit for 2008. See Recovery Rebate Credit, later, under Credits.

Change of address. If you change your mailing address, be sure to notify the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) using Form 8822, Change of Address. Mail it to the Internal Revenue Service Center for your old address. (Addresses for the Service Centers are on the back of the form.)

Third party designee. You can check the Yes box in the Third Party Designee area of your return to authorize the IRS to discuss your return with a friend, family member, or any other person you choose. This allows the IRS to call the person you identified as your designee to answer any questions that may arise during the processing of your tax return. It also allows your designee to perform certain actions. See your income tax package for details.

Photographs of missing children. The Internal Revenue Service is a proud partner with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Photographs of missing children selected by the Center may appear in this publication on pages that would otherwise be blank. You can help bring these children home by looking at the photographs and calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) if you recognize a child.

This publication covers the special tax situations of active members of the U.S. Armed Forces. It does not cover military pensions or veterans' benefits or give the basic tax rules that apply to all taxpayers. For information on military pensions or veterans' benefits, see Publication 525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income. If you need the basic tax rules or information on another subject not covered here, you can check our other free publications. See Publication 910, IRS Guide to Free Tax Services, for a list and descriptions of the different tax publications.

For federal tax purposes, the U.S. Armed Forces includes commissioned officers, warrant officers, and enlisted personnel in all regular and reserve units under control of the Secretaries of the Defense, Army, Navy, and Air Force. The U.S. Armed Forces also includes the Coast Guard. It does not include the U.S. Merchant Marine or the American Red Cross.

Members serving in an area designated or treated as a combat zone are granted special tax benefits. In the event an area ceases to be a combat zone, the IRS will do its best to notify you. Many of the relief provisions will end at that time.