The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-11
Now Is the Time to Begin
Accurate Accounts.
New Law Covers Receipts From
March 1, 1918.
INCOME TAX SCHEDULE.

WaShin notwithstanding to esti-
mates completed by the treasury ex-
perts, 425,000 American citizens must
keep such accurate account Of their
incomes this year that they will be
able to report to the income tax col
lector next spring exactly how much
they owe the government under the
new income tax law
So far as the taxable American is
concerned, the income tax law Is now
practically in force against him. While
the tariff law in which the law Is en-
bodied will not be signed until next
week, the first returns do not have to
be made to the internal revenue col
lectors before March l, 1914. But when
the returns are made they will Gov
er the income of citizens from March
l, 1913, to December 81, and the first
payment of tax will be for money re-
ceived during this period.
Every single person (citizen or for
eign resident) whose annual income
exceeds $4,000. and every married per-
son with an income above $4,000, is
expected to report his or her re-
ceipts in detail to the government
G5Snl5 A61CA L I'll SdCu year.
To Produce 100000
The estimate completed indicates
that the income tax will produce $751;
2e8,000 from the 425, 900 persons taxed.
To this will be added the $35,000,000
or more produced by the present cor
poration tax, which is continued as
part of the law
PraSifouf Wilson thu fcderoI ind
of the Supreme court now holding Of
fee and employees "of a state or any
political subdivision thereof" are the
only persons specifically exempted
from the tax by the new law. The
president and judges now in Office
were made exempt to escape any Ques-
lions Of the constitutionality of the
law, and their SUCCESSORS in office will
be compelled to pay the tax.
First Burden Is on Citizen.
The general public is expected to
give close study to the new law In
the next few months, as the first bur
den of the tax payment rests with the
individual citizen, and his failure to
report his income is punishable By q
fine.
It ia admitted that when first re-
turns are made many taxable persons
probably will escape payments, but
with each year the governments lists
of persons with taxable incomes will
be made more nearly complete.
Methods Of Collecting Tax
Two primary methods OF collecting
the tax are contained In the law. One
Is that the individual return made by
the citizen; the other the returns by
corporations and other employers who
pay their employees taxes at the
source" Under the law as it will be
signed by President Wilson next week.
every large company employing labor
will be compelled to report any regu-
lar salaries 1t pays in excess OF the
$4,000 figures. and will pay the taxes
for its employees and deduct the tax
from their pay envelopes.
This payment at the source" will
apply to salaries, rents, interests, roy
alties, partnership profits and some
other sources of income, and persons
receiving such incomes must be pre-
pared to show that the money has
paid it's tax at it's source.
In figuring up his net income for
the taxpayer, the American business
man, after deducting $4,000 for him
self. or $4,000 If married, will have