Veterans Choosing To Live in Billings, Montana Are Taxed Heavily
Yesterday, the Billings Chamber of Commerce announced they are working toward legislation to lower, and hopefully remove, taxation on Veteran pensions in the State of Montana.
Retired Veterans are quite possibly one of the most well-trained demographics, and Montana is missing out on that opportunity, being one of 3 states that fully tax Veteran pensions as regular income.
Big Sky Economic Development, in conjunction with The Billings Chamber of Commerce, wants to change this for the communities in Montana. Allison Corbyn, Director of Business Recruitment and Economic Policy for Big Sky Economic Development shared:
We want those who are retiring from the military to choose Montana for their home, to start businesses and be part of our workforce. Veterans have significant leadership and technical skills that add immense expertise to our workforce, and they share our Montanan values, we want them here.
Right now, there are two bills in the Montana legislature aiming to address this issue. For the Senate, SB104, and for the House, HB219.
During the last session of the Montana Legislature, a similar bill had steam behind it but failed halfway through the approval process.
Dan Brooks, Billings Chamber Business Advocacy Director, said:
While we would like to see an elimination of the tax on Veteran pensions entirely, both bills provide a good start, finally giving Montana a marketing pitch to retiring Veterans beyond our scenic beauty. Vets are acutely aware of their benefits and want to keep as much as they can, rightly so.
What are your thoughts on this? Did you know Montana is essentially pushing our Veterans to live in other states after serving their country, just purely for greed? Let us know on AppChat or on Facebook.
(Source: Billings Chamber of Commerce)