Military Personnel—MILITARY PAY EXCLUSION—Effective for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2010, all military pay received by active duty members of the Armed Forces of the United States, members of reserve components of the Armed Forces of the United States, and members of the National Guard will be exempt from Kentucky income tax. KRS 141.010(10)(u)
Soldiers will claim the exemption by excluding military pay when filing a Kentucky individual income tax return starting with the 2010 return. Provided the military member has no income other than military pay, he or she would not be required to file a Kentucky income tax return. The military pay exemption applies to all Kentucky military members regardless of where the member is stationed. Kentucky income tax should no longer be withheld from checks received for military pay, beginning January 1, 2010. If Kentucky income tax is incorrectly withheld from a soldier’s military pay, the Department of Revenue will refund the tax withheld.
Kentucky residents who are in the military are often granted extensions for military service when serving outside the United States. Any extension granted for federal income tax purposes will be honored for Kentucky income tax purposes.