Income Tax Forgiveness for Deceased Armed Forces Members

§ 692. Income taxes of members of Armed Forces, astronauts, and victims of certain terrorist attacks on death(a) General ruleIn the case of any individual who dies while in active service as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, if such death occurred while serving in a combat zone (as determined under section 112) or as a result of wounds, disease, or injury incurred while so serving—(1) any tax imposed by this subtitle shall not apply with respect to the taxable year in which falls the date of his death, or with respect to any prior taxable year ending on or after the first day he so served in a combat zone; and (2) any tax under this subtitle and under the corresponding provisions of prior revenue laws for taxable years preceding those specified in paragraph (1) which is unpaid at the date of his death (including interest, additions to the tax, and additional amounts) shall not be assessed, and if assessed the assessment shall be abated, and if collected shall be credited or refunded as an overpayment. (b) Individuals in missing statusFor purposes of this section, in the case of an individual who was in a missing status within the meaning of section 6013(f)(3)(A), the date of his death shall be treated as being not earlier than the date on which a determination of his death is made under section 556 of title 37 of the United States Code. Except in the case of the combat zone designated for purposes of the Vietnam conflict, the preceding sentence shall not cause subsection (a)(1) to apply for any taxable year beginning more than 2 years after the date designated under section 112 as the date of termination of combatant activities in a combat zone. (c) Certain military or civilian employees of the United States dying as a result of injuries(1) In generalIn the case of any individual who dies while a military or civilian employee of the United States, if such death occurs as a result of wounds or injury which was incurred while the individual was a military or civilian employee of the United States and which was incurred in a terroristic or military action, any tax imposed by this subtitle shall not apply—(A) with respect to the taxable year in which falls the date of his death, and (B) with respect to any prior taxable year in the period beginning with the last taxable year ending before the taxable year in which the wounds or injury were incurred. (2) Terroristic or military actionFor purposes of paragraph (1), the term “terroristic or military action” means—(A) any terroristic activity which a preponderance of the evidence indicates was directed against the United States or any of its allies, and (B) any military action involving the Armed Forces of the United States and resulting from violence or aggression against the United States or any of its allies (or threat thereof). For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “military action” does not include training exercises.