EXCLUSIVE: Sarah Ogasian, a Marine Corps spouse, mother, and ER nurse, is taking the state of New York to task for erroneously claiming back taxes on her family’s savings despite being afforded federal protections under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). The Ogasians, who have faced financial devastation as a result of a wrongful tax assessment, now find themselves in a state of limbo while awaiting the return of their hard-earned funds.
The incident began when the couple, living in Highland, New York, while Master Sgt. Jon Ogasian was stationed at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, discovered their savings account had been completely drained by a tax levy. Sarah described the moment of realization as profoundly distressing, recounting how her husband, upon reviewing their bank account, was left with ‘pennies’ and felt a deep sense of despair. “As soon as the money was gone, it literally left us with pennies,” she explained, adding that this abrupt economic reality has resulted in difficult life choices for the Ogasians, including sourcing secondhand clothing for their children and limiting their expenses for the first time in their lives.
Although New York has since admitted that the tax levy was an error and reversed the assessment, the Ogasians remain in a prolonged position of financial uncertainty as they await their funds to be restored. Officials have indicated that a