In the year 2009, Congress unanimously approved the Military Spouses Residency Relief Act. This law amends the Service members Civil Relief Act in order to provide protection to the military spouses.

Specification of the Military Spouses Relief Act

This law provides maximum support to the military spouses in terms of residency. The Military Spouses Residency Relief Act clearly defined the legal residency that a military spouse holds. This Act clarified what voting and tax rights a military spouse holds. It also made it easier of the military spouses to posses the ownership of residency in their particular states, while living with their military spouse who is serving in another location. This act made it easier for the military spouses to protect their residency ownership from potential loss and also a freedom to move anywhere with their military spouse.

Voting Rights of a Military Spouse

The Military Spouse Residency Relief Act clarified the voting rights of the military spouses. According to this act, military spouse now can vote in their home even if they have not been living in their home state for a long time. Before the act, such military spouse cannot vote if they have lost their resident status in a state just because they have been living somewhere else while accompanying their military spouse who is serving in any other area on naval or military orders.

Income Tax Rights of a Military Spouse

The Military Spouse Residency Relief Act defines the tax rights of the military spouses. According to this act, military spouse that have not been present in their home states are not restricted to pay off tax in the state in which they are currently living with their on active duty military service member. This act helps military spouses to save a considerable amount of money in terms of taxes. If the military spouses are living in their home states then they are bound to pay off taxes.

Residency Rights of Military Spouse

One of the biggest advantages of the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act is the protection of the residency rights of a military spouse. Before the approval of this act, military spouses had to lose their residency status and rights in their home state. They were also required to follow the new state requirements every time when they had to move with their on active duty military spouse.  This law clearly defined the residency rights of military spouse according to which military spouse can retain the possession of their home in their home states, while accompanying their on active duty military spouse in different areas of serving.  Now military spouses can maintain their driver’s license and motor vehicle registration, and they can buy property.

Significance of the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act

This act provides a great relief to the military spouses. It brings the ease for the military spouses to accompany their on active military spouse anywhere without having to be worried about their residency, voting and taxing rights.