The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1917-12-24
PROVISIONS OF Law
ON INCOME TAX
and THE PENALTIES

| The people of Wisconsin showed
the limit of liberty bonds that were
assigned to this state, and during the
next month they are to have an oppor-
tunity to show in more direct man
ner their faith and interest in their
government and it's purposes at this
| time.
The last liberty loan was issued to
| raise three billions of dollars to help
defray war expenses, and during the
months of January and February the
| United States expects to list three
| billions of dollars in income taxes di-
rect from the people of the United
States.
1t is just as important in a spirit of
patriotism to pay income taxes to
Uncle Sam, as it is to invest in liberty
bonds, and the spirit of the people of
Wisconsin must be aroused so that
every person liable to a Federal tax
will make full and complete return
There are a great many people in
each county-bankers, lawyers and
state officials-WhO are more or less
familiar with federal income tax
laws, and who can assist taxpayers to
make their return, but this year the
United States is going to make rigid
efforts to get every possible federal
taxpayer, for Collector Burt Williams,
who will have charge of this work,
announces that a federal income tax
man will be sent into every county in
Wisconsin during the months of jan
uary and February to aid every per-
son who can not secure the right help
to make his return.
1t is the intention of Mr.. Williams
to have sent, Immediately after the
first of the year to every individual
who had a taxable income for the
state of Wisconsin for 1916, United
States income tax blanks, as practical
ly every person who must pay a tax to
the state will be obligated to make
| return to the Federal government un-
| der the new law.
Every married person living with
wife or husband and having a net in
| come of $4,000, and every unmarried
person, not the head of a family and
| having net income of $1,000 for the
year 1917, must make a return of in
come on the form to be prescribed and
send the same in to Mr.. Williams Of
| flee in Madison, after January l.
| 1t is announced as matter of gen.
eral information that met income" is
| the remainder after subtracting ex-
penses from gross income. Personal,
family, or living expenses are not ex-
penses to be subtracted in the mean
ing of the law. Therefore, Immediate
ly after the first of the year every
person receiving a blank from the
office of Mr.. Williams should imme-
diately endeaVor to fill out the same
and return it as early as possible.
Others who do not receive blanks and
who feel they come under the federal
income tax law, should write to Mad
Iison to secure blanks in order to make
their returns. 1t will be announced
later in the newspapers the time of
arrival Of the deputy income tax men
in each county who will remain for
stated periods to assist in this work.
The new exemptions of $1,000 and
$4,000 will add many thousands to the
number of income taxpayers in this
district, inasmuch as practically ev-
cry farmer, merchant, tradesman, pro-
fessional man and salary worker and
a great many wage workers will be
required to make return and pay the
tax.
The law makes it the duty of the
taxpayer to seek out the collector
Many people assume that if an income
tax form is not sent Or government
officer does not call, they are relieved
from making a report, This is decid-
edly in error. 1t is the other way
around. The taxpayer has to go to the
government and if he doesn't within
the time prescribed he is violator OF
the law, and the United States auto
matically imposes penalties which nc
official has the right to set aside.