The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1866-06-15

The following Is a copy OF the lnstrue-
tions of E. A. Rollins, Commissioner for
the assessment of Internal Revenue of the
United States-issued on the 26th of April,
to be observed in assessment of the tax for
1865. Every tax payer will find import
ant information of a practical nature in
these instructions, and we would advise
preservation of this paper for future refer
ence:
INCOME.
/. Farmers will not be required TO make
returns of produce consumed in their own
immediate families.
2. The farmers profits from sales of live
stock are to be found by deducting from
the gross receipts for animals sold, the
purchase money paid for the same. If ami
mails have been lost during the year by
death or robbery, the purchase mOneyPaid
for such animals may be deducted from the
gross income of the farm.
3. No deduction can be made by the
farmer for the value of services rendered
by his minor children, whether he actual
ly pays for such services or not. If his
adult children work for him and receive
compensation for their labor, they are to be
regarded as other hired Iaborers in determ-
ining his income.
4. Money paid laborers, except such as
are used or employed in domestic service,
or in the production of articles consumed
in the family of the producer, may be de-
Quoted.
5. No deduction can be allowed in any
case for the cost of unproduotive labor.
house servants are employed portion of
the TIM in productive labor, sucn as thec
making of butter and cheese for sale, a pro-
portionate amount of the wages paid them
may be deducted.
6. Expenses for ditching and clearing
new land are plainly expenses for perma-
nent improvement, and not deductable.
7. The whole amount expended for ferti-
lizers applied during the year to the farm
er's lands may be deducted, but no deduc-
ton is allowed for fertilizers produced on
the farm. The cost of seed purchased for
planting or sowing may be deducted.
8. If person sells timber standing, the
profits are to be ascertained by estimating
the value of the land after the removal of
the timber, and adding thereto the amount
received for the timber, and from the sum
thus obtained deducting the estimated value
of the land on the first day of January, 1862.
or on the day of purchase, if purchased
! since that date
9. Where no repairs have been made by
the tax payer upon any building owned by
him during the preceding FIVE years,
nothing can be deducted for repairs made
during the year for whicl9income is esti-
mated.
10. A farmer should make return Of all
his produce sold within the year, but a
mere executory contract for a sale is not
sale; delivery, either actual or constructive,
is essential. The criterion by which to
Judge whether sale is complete or not Is
to determine whether the vendor still re-
tains in that character a right over the prop
erty; if the property were lost or destroyed,
upon which of the parties, in the absence
of any other relation between them than
that of vendor and vendee, would the loss
fall.
IL. Tax payers frequently claim deduc-
tions for losses from depreciation in the
value of stocks or other property of like
nature. No deduction can in any case be
allowed for depreciation Of value of such
property until it is actually disposed of and
q loss realized.
12. Costs of suits and other legal pm
ceedings arising frona ordinary business
are to be treated as other expenses of such
business, and may be deducted from the
gross profits thereof.
IS. Money paid for a substitute in the
army or navy cannot be deducted from IN
come. Money received by substitute fOI
acting as such must be returned by him as
income.
Il. Where physicians are obliged to keeE
horse for the transaction of business, they
may deduct SO much of the expense so in
Cured as is fairly referable to the business
done.
Is. Expenses for medical attendance
store bills, &C., are not proper subjects tol
t deduction. Expenses of repairs of nipple
t ments, tools, &c, used in business may bt
deducted.
16. Only one deduction of $500 is allow
3 ed from the aggregate incomes of all th
- members of the family composed of parent
and minor children, even though one Paren
only may be living. 1t is not essential tha
the children live with the parents. Hus
L band and wife are regarded as members Q
the same family, though living separately