Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1914-02-21
IN REGARD TO INCOME TAX.
Collector of the Districts of North and
South Dakota Gives Some
Information.
TO ALL CONCERNED:


desire to call attention of every per
son liable to the Federal Income Tax tc
the necessity of making sworn state
ment of his or her income to the Col
lector of Internal Revenue on or before
the lst day of March, 1914. This is 9
liability that attaches to every person,
man or woman, citizens of the United
States or alien residents of the country,
with net income of So, 500 or more fol
the last ten months of the year ended
December 9l, 1918, and what is m ore, il
is liability that attaches under severe
penalties for refusal to comply with the
law by making such report. No per.
son is required to make this report un'
less their net income for the last ten
months of the year, 1918, was $500 OF
more.
The Forms for return are now avail.
able for distribution and will be sent to
all who apply for them. A supply oi
these blanks will also be sent to banks
for distribution to their patrons on re-
quest. 1t will not do for person with
a taxable income to wait until an in.
vitation is extended by this Office before
taking steps to obey the law by obtain.
ing blank form and preparing the re-
quired report. These persons with tax
able incomes who neglect this response
bility will subject themsel 'es to the
penalties of the law, and it will not be
in order for them subsequently to plead
that they were not asked to file return.
My deputies will carefully canvas the
districts under my Jurisdiction. They
will keep up the canvas even after the
lst of March, 1914. and they will have
ample authority to get the information
they seek. These taxable persons To-
Gated after that date will have failed to
obey the law, and will be liable to its
penalties. Let me mention these pen
alties for the information of the public.
The penalty for failure to file return
of income within the time specified by
law is from $40 to $1,000. In the case
of refusal or neglect to render the return
within the required time, 80 per cent
will be added to the amount of the tax
assessed. In the case of false OF
fraudulent return 100 per cent will be
added to the tax, and any person found
guilty of such with intent to defraud OF
evade the law will be Liable to fine
not exceeding $1,000, or imprisonment
not exceeding one year, or may be both
fined and imprisoned. request that CO.
operation of the public, and have called
attention to the penalties provided by
the law, not because l expect attempt to
evade the statute, but that all may un.
derstand their duty and liability.
Let me emphasize that neglect or re-
fusal to file return will be penalzed
In other words, the law puts the re-
sponsibility up to the individual, and
the Government will hold the indivi
dual to account. While no return will
be required of person with net income
of less than SO, 500 from March !, 1913
to December 81, 1918, inclusive still tha,
person should be sure of this right o.
exemption and deduction in determin
ing what is net income. In brief it il
better to seek information from this
Office than to run the risk of violating
the law. Any individual will be in
structed as to his or her rights and
should seek instruction either in person
or by letter.
Corporations must also have their re
ports for the calendar year beginning
January l, 1918, and ending December
81, 1918, in the hands of the collector or
or before March /, 1914. Under the
new law corporations are allowed t.
designate the end of any month in the
year as the end of their fiscal year fol
which to make reports by givin 9Th,
collector notice thirty days prior to thu
end of the month they wish to designat,
as the end of their fiscal year, but fo
1918 corporation reports must be made
for the calendar year beginning Januar,
| and ending December 81, 1913.
1t is hoped that thorough canvas o
this district after the 1st of March vii
fail to disclose any who have not com
piled with the requirements of the law
Respectfully,
James Coffey, Collector.
District of No. and So. Dak.,