The Mail-Journal, Volume 13, Number 2, Milford, Kosciusko County, 4 February 1976 — Page 7
1 r x- \ • ' ' ' ' ' Taxpayers Ask IRS
This column of questions and answers on federal tax matters is provided by the local office of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and is published as a public service to taxpayers. The column answers questions most frequently asked by taxpayers. x
Q I have been a lull time college student tor the past four years, and have earned no more than $4,000 in any one of those years. This year I worked lull time and earned considerably more. Can I use income averaging to reduce my taxes this year? A To quality for income aver aging you must have been a US .citizen or resident throughout your computation year 1975. and throughout your base period, the four years immediately preceding your computation year You must also have furnished at least 50 percent of your total sup port during yoyr base period if you are married and file.a joint re turn, your spouse also must meet the support test, unless your
Indiana Pork Producers annual conference set
The Indiana Pork conference and annual meeting of the Indiana j Pork Producers association and Indiana Porkette association will be held February 6 and 7. at the Atkinson hotel in downtown Indianapolis The program will open Friday night at 7 p m with an informal discussion of pork production problems The queen contest will also start Friday evening with several of the girls giving their speeches All activities are open to the public Saturday's programs start at 9 a m with educational workshops on swine waste management, outlook, and the purchasing and producing of breeding stock. Queen speeches will also continue on Saturday morning Workshops will continue in the
H 111 Illi I S 3 I 1 A paper bag taped to the sewing machine makes it easier to keep threadsAmd bits of material from littering the floor
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spouse provided no more than 25 percent of your combined adjusted gross income If you meet these requirements, then you must determine whether your averagable income exceeds $3,000 The income averaging computation requires several steps They are explained in IRS Publication 506. Computing Your Ta* under the Income Averaging Method available at IRS office Q I have heard that certain people quality tor a low income allowance What is this, and how do I find out if I qualify ? A A low allowance >s de signed to give low income taxpay ers a tax free allowance, removing many of them from the tax rolls
afternoon The noon luncheon will feature the presentation of Hoosier Barrow Shots awards, recognition of associate members and an update on pork producer activities by Marvin Gamer, executive vice-president of the National Pork Producers Council Impromptu queen speeches and election of directors will highlite the porkette luncheon, according to Mrs. Bob Bennett, Linden, president of the Indiana Porkette association. Myron Laffoon, Romney, president of the Indiana Pork Producers, will preside at the annual banquet to be held at 6:00 p.m. Saturday evening, February 7 The crowning of the 1976 Indiana pork queen, the
The low income allowance is already computed into the tax tabled accompanying your 1040 package, so you do not have to worry about meeting any qualifications With the exception of the columns for married taxpayers who file separate returns, the Tax Tables give you either the per centage standard deduction or the low income allowance, whichever is larger Q. My employer usually distributes gifts to employees around the holidays: Must I include the gifts I receive as income? A If your employer makes a general distribution of such items as turkeys, hams or other gifts of nominal value to promote goodwill during the holidays, the value of the gift is not considered income However, if your employer gives cash bonuses, gift certificates or other readily convertible items of cash value, they are considered as income to the employee and their market value must be reported as additional salary or wages
presentation of the pork allAmerican and the meritorious service awards will be announced. Principal speaker will be Dr Tim Stivers whose topic will be "This Ole Boy". Tickets for the annual banquet and the luncheons are available by contacting Ron Westerfeld, r 3 Frankfort. IN 46041. A limited number of tickets will be available fit the door Home broken into and stereo taken Kosciusko ,county police continue investigation into a break-in and theft at the Steve Mock home, r 1 North Webster. Mock told officers he went to work at 7 a.m. Friday and when arriving home for lunch at noon, found the home had been broken into and a stereo and tape player taken The stereo is a Magnavox valued at $350. The Bradford tape player is valued at SSO.
Use jumper cables with real caution
WEST LAFAYETTE — Winter weather multiplies car battery problems. Consequently, jumper cables have become standard equipment with most car owners. These can be a real aid in starting cars with stubborn batteries, but their use requires caution. Misuse can cause damage to the cars involved or even injury to the individuals working with them. For this reason, Don D. Jones, Purdue university extension engineer, enumerates some "dos” and “don’ts” in handling such cables. First, make sure that both the booster battery and the discharged battery are of the same voltage. Voltage can be determined by counting the number of vent caps. Each lead acid battery cell produces two volts. A six-volt battery, therefore, has three vent caps and a 12-volt battery has six vent caps. Secondly, be sure that the jumper connection is from positive terminal to positive terminal and from negative-to-negative A reversal could cause expensive damage to the vehicles’ electrical systems. Be sure the two vehicles are not touching if the booster battery is installed in another vehicle. Most jumper sets have one cable with red clamps at each end and another with black clamps. Begin by connecting one red cable clamp to the booster battery positive terminal and the other red cable clamp to the discharge battery positive terminal. (The positive terminal should have either a "plus” symbol or the word “positive" spelled out beside the terminal post). Then connect one clamp of the other cable to the negative
ej J. Weight loss — off again, on again
WEST LAFAYETTE - Everyone wants to lose weight rapidly.. TTius, most currently popular reducing diets promote quick and easy weight loss. Dr. Jane Aycock, extension specialist in foods and nutrition at Purdue university, says most people who follow a “fad diet” for a short time will regain lost weight rapidly when discontinuing the diet. The poor eating habits which caused weight gain have not been changed, and the cycle begins again. To lose weight, you must either eat less or exercise more, or both. But what about TV, radio, newspaper and magazine ads, or the diet books that claim losing weight is easy if you follow their diets? Can they be dangerous to one’s health? Dr. Aycock lists some questions that may help you to evaluate reduction diets. Does the diet limit your food choices? For example, does it limit or eliminate one or more of the basic four food groups — milk and milk products, meat and meat alternates, bread and cereals, fruits and vegetables? Does it limit food choices by claiming that a single food such as grapefruit is the 'magical key” to weight loss? Does it limit food choices by leaving out one food or nutrient, such as carbohydrate, from your diet? Is there a promise of unusually rapid weight loss? One or two pounds per week is considered a reasonable and safe rate of weight loss for good health. On a
simple home repairs OU. K FIX PROBLEM DOORS Z?F\ WHAT YOU NEED ( Fl 9 2 • O * • Grapnite I 'I / \ • Screwdriver • Hammer \ // *o*l i J X \t--’ • HOW-TO F ’9 1 | For Noise: 1 You a- «ua . st p a ooor squeak Dy putting ate.v • drops o< od at the toe .t s each hinge Move the door back _ _‘- and forth to work me <nto me nmge i‘t’ • '-HpL does not stop *a se me p.n ana add more oil <F g B K? ■' < Nosy or squeaiung ocks should be lubncati • " . _ graphite You can buy this at a hardware store iFtg 2* 1 '• 4 3To stop me rattle m the knob, loosen the setscrew on the \ A / .nob c ' 3 Acme veHne knob Put a sma pece o’ i > . - putty or mocenng clay mthe knob (Fig4iPut the knob Fig. 4 * back on Ruso »t on as as possible Tighten the screw For Sticking or Dragging Doors: • . J, Tighten screws i* screws are not hoia ng replace mem o-e at a time with a longer screw Or - t— s nser a matchsbCK n the hole' and put me old screw 9 ’ Fig 5 r 7 • 2 look ‘or ash nv spot on me door .-.-. ere >t sticks Open y and close me door siowiy to tmd the soct Sand down me / z z ' .-- .-i — $h n> spot De not sand too much 0' the door w>i< not fit ' . as tight as it should fFig 6> Fig. 6 * ' «> • 3 if the door or frame is ba'dty out of shape you may nave -k to remove me door and piane down me part mat drags * I < F » 7I . 7 Cooperative Extension Service, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907
terminal of the booster battery. The remaining clamp should be fastened to a good ground on the engine block, near the discharged battery. If the booster battery is installed on another vehicle, start that vehicle’s engine after the jumper cables have been connected. Then try the vehicle with the discharged battery. Once it starts, allow the engine to idle slowly and stop the engine in the car with the booster battery. You are now ready to disconnect the cables Disconnect them in the reverse order that you hooked them up. Batteries produce explosive gases and only a spark is heeded to set one off. Avoid smoking around batteries, and if possible, jump batteries only in a well ventilated area. In order to minimize the danger to yourself in case of explosion, be careful not to lean over either battery while connecting the cables. Another safeguard that should be taken is to remove the vent caps on the battery cells, then lay a cloth or towel over the tops of the cells before using jumper cables. This will absorb some of the gases and decrease the explosive hazard By keeping your car’s engine properly tuned and the battery liquid at proper levels, the vehicle should operate several years without a discharged battery. It’s the safest way to avoid use of jumper cables and the inconvenience of a "down” battery. Jones suggests that you clip this information and place it in the glove compartment of your car for ready reference the next time you have battery difficulties.
diet containing fewer than 1,200 calories, it is difficult to provide nutrients needed to maintain health. A pound of fat contains about 3.500 calories, so do not deprive yourself of more than 500 to 1,000 calories pier day, warns the Purdue specialist. Does the diet have something to sell? Does it offer, as proof of validity, testimonials by persons not trained in health? If your answer is “yes” to any of these questions, then beware. Think twice before you try the diet being advertised, advises Mrs. Aycock. There is no easy and quick way to lose weight safely. A reducing plan that incudes a wide variety of foods providing well-balanced meals will prevent overweight from recurring.
Incorrect, illegible addresses will cause tax refund delay
Incorrect or illegible addresses on tax returns can delay refunds, James W. Caldwell, IRS district director for Indiana cautioned. Mr. Caldwell said that if a taxpayer has moved since’filing his or her tax return and has not notified the US Postal Service of the new address, any refund due might not reach its destination. A taxpayer expecting a refund should file a change of address form with his or her local post office. Illegible handwriting on a return can also cause problems
SNOW CALAMITY — The above picture shows the garage, at the Pine Terrace Apartments, on highway 13, south of Syracuse, whose roof collapsed Sunday morning. Bruce and Betty Bultemeier had their two cars trapped in the debris. A heavy blanket of snow and ice was initially blamed as the demolition expert.
Cleaning up China The "yellow dragon” is coming under control in China. Even the Yellow river is losing its color. The increasingly pollutionconscious Chinese are changing the color of the Yellow river by reforesting and controlling erosion at the riverbanks. And they are busily trying to tame the “yellow dragon.” the Chinese term for nitrogen oxides. Although nitrogen is a colorless, tasteless, odorless gas that makes up 78 per cent of our planet’s atmosphere, two of its oxides pollute the air. These have been called status symbol or jetage pollutants because only a highly advanced country is likely to suffer from them. China is nowshouldering the burdens of status. One of the oxides, nitric oxide, is formed in automobile cylinders, electric power plants and large energy-conversion processes. When it combines with oxygen, nitric oxide forms a more poisonous gas, nitrogen dioxide. With prolonged exposure. this gas — which has a yellow-brown color and a pungent odor — harms human lungs as well as vegetation. As one part of pollution control programs. Chinese factories are moved away from city centers. In Peking, for example, prevailing winds are from the northwest, so industries were moved to the southeastern section. And in Chinese cities, people are paid to recycle trash and waste at special stations. Human-solid excrement is converted’ into gas for heating and light. To find out mere about controlling pollution in your own community, contact your lung association — the "Christmas Seal” people. They — and the Chinese —- know "It’s a Matter of life and Breath”.
when it comes to issuing a refund check. One solution is for the taxpayer to use peel-off label attached to the tax package mailed out by the IRS. The taxpayer can make any name, address or social security number corrections right on the label. Mr. Caldwell also reminds persons who marry, that they must notify the social security administration of such a change. Failure to do so can cause an indefinite delay in the processing of individual or joint tax returns.
Wed., Feb. 4,1976 — THE MAIL-JOURNAL
| Congressman T Floyd IL Fithian L [Reports r L-/'A—/ £—/ L—/ A—cf L—/'A—cf Jiy
Too many Americans these days are drawing unemployment checks instead of paychecks Although I’ve said this before ' many times, it seems to be worth repeating: it’s time to put America back to work. Unemployment is something that many of us fail to recognize as a real problem until it hits us personally. But it affects the pocketbooks of each and every citizen in our country. For every one pier cent of the work force which is out of work, our economy loses about sl6 billion ... sl4 billion in lost revenue due to a reduced tax base, and $2 billion spient in various types of unemployment comp>ensation. Right now, our overall unemployment rate is just above 11 per cent, according to the joint economic committee. If we could cut that figure in half, we'd wipe out the entire federal budget deficit this year. And by balancing the budget, we can restore economic stability to the opjeration of our government. Last year, 10 million Americans were looking for work at one time or another. That hit espiecially hard among our young pjeople, many of whom are looking for their first full time employment. One out of five jobseekers between the ages of 16 and 19 cannot find work. College-age young people find little better going: the unemployment rate among those between ages 20 to 24 is above 13 per cent. Bleak employment prospects have led more than a million Americans to just give up. They are labeled ‘‘discouraged
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Block has I I a special reason why I I you should come to us I I for income tax help. I I I I & I If you received the Short Form for filing your taxes, our preparers are specially trained to determine if it’s best for you. s If it is, we ll complete it at a very low ? ■ price...and our charge always includes your resident state return. I H&R BLOCK- I THE INCOME TAX PEOPLE 3 Blocks North Os Stop Light On SR 13 Syracuse Open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Week Days, 9-5 Sot. Phone 457-MBS HO AHHOOnMtHT MOSMT M
workers” by the expierts, and they have found it impossible to find a job. I believe that Americans deserve better fare than that. I’m not in favor of government handouts to pjeople who won’t work, of course, but no able-bodied person who wants a job should have to go without work in our society. After all, America wasn’t built by people collecting unemployment checks. As your representative in Washington, I have supported — and will continue to support — proposals which will put Americans back to work. Last week, for example, we approved a bill which will provide jobs for 600,000 persons. In the house small business committee, I will continue to work for legislation which will improve economic conditions in the private sector of our economy. That will enable businesses to begin hiring again, instead of laying off their employees. Also, my recent election as chairman of phe job opportunities subcommittee of the Congressional rural caucus will provide me. another means of working to improve the employment picture in areas such as the 2d District. For the good of the entire country, we need to return to full employment. Efforts to stimulate employment for Americans deserve the Support of citizens and their elected representatives. LAKELAND LOCAL Lawrence Moore, Milford, is a resident at the Prairie View nursing home in Warsaw.
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