The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-12-15
GOVERNMENT TO HELP FIGURING
 INCOME TAXES

You won't have to figure out your own income tax all by yourself here after. The government is going to send out men to help you. It will be up to you to hunt up these men, who will be sent into the various cities, towns, boroughs and villages in the states of Connecticut and Rhode Is- land, which comprises the Connecti- cut District, to meet and assist the people. Postmasters, bankers and newspapers will be able to tell you when the governments income tax man will be around, and where to find him. He will answer your ques- tions, swear you to sthe return, take your money, and remove the wrinkles from your brow Returns of income for 1917 must be made between Jan- uary 1 and March 1, 1918.
 ''The government recognizes" Col lector of Internal Revenue James J. Walsh said today "that many persons experience a good deal of difficulty in filling out income tax forms. It re- cognizes too, that taxpayers resident at points where collectors offices are not easily accessible find it hard to get proper instruction in the law. Next year, when every married person living with wife or husband and hav- ing a net income of $2,000, and every unmarried person not the head of a family and having a net income of $1,000 for the year 1917 must make return of income on the form pre- scribed, there will be hundreds in every community seeking light on the law, and held in executing their re- turns. My own and every other col lection district in the nation will be divided into districts, with the county as the unit, and a government officer informed in the income tax assigned to each district. He will spend hardly less than a week in each city or town and in some cities and towns longer 1 time, very likely in the postoffices and town halls In cities where there are collectors branch offices, he will be there. My office will in due time advise postmasters and bankers and send out notices to the newspapers stating when the officer will. be ir each city or town. It will be unneces- sary for prospective taxpayers to asA my, office for forms on which to make TStuInS. The OIllC0T WIlO VlSllS Ln6O community will have them.
 It may be stated as matter of gen. eral information that net income is the remainder after substracting ex. penses from gross income. Personal family, or living expenses are not ex pense in the meaning of the law, the exemption being allowed to cover sucf expense.
 The new exemptions of $1.0O0 and
 $2.000 will add tens of thousands t6 the number of income taxpayers 1T this district, inasmuch as practical! every farmer, merchant, tradesmen professional man and salary worker and a great many wage earners vii
 be required to make returns and pa, tax.
 The law makes it the duty Of tn, taxpayer to seek out the collector
 Many people assume that if an in Acome tax form is not sent, or a gov
 ernment officer does not call, they ar,
 relieved of making reports. This il
 decidedly in error. It is the othe
 way round. The taxpayer has to gt
 to the government and if he 6oesn'
 within the prescribed time, he is
 violator of the law, and the govern
 ment will go to him with its penal
 ties"