Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-15
GOVERNMENT TO AID
You Will Not Have to
Figure Out Your In
come Tax Unaided
Hereafter

Portsmouth, y. H.. Dec. 14!-1 on
won't have to figure out your own in
come tax all by yourself hereafter. The
government is going to send out men
to help you. 1t will be up to you to hunt
up these men. who will be sent into eV-
cry county seat town, and some other
towns besides. TO meet the people
Postmasters, bankers and newsp5 per-;
will be able to tell you when the gov
ernment's income tax man will be
around, and where TO find him. He VIII
answer your questions, swear YOU to
the return. take your money. and re-
move the wrinkles from your brow. Re-
turns of income for 1917 must be made
between Jan. l and March 1, 1918.
The government recognizes" Col
lector of Internal Revenue Seth w.
Jones said today. that many persons
experience a good deal of difficulty III
filling out income tax blanks. It rccog-
nizes too, that taxpayers resident At
points where collectors offices are not
easily accessible find it hard to get
proper instruction in the law. Next
wear hen every married person living
with wife or husband and having
net Income of $4,000, and every person
unmarried not the head Of Il family
and having a net income of $1,000 for
the year 1917. must make return of in
come on the form prescribed, there
will be hundreds in every community
seeking light on the law. and help in
executing their returns. My own and
every other collection district In the
nation will be divided into districts,
with the county as the unit, and a gov
eminent officer informed in the income
| tax assigned to each district He will
spend hardly less than q week in each
county, and in some counties a longer
time, very likely in the court house at
the county seat town. In cities where
there are collectors branch offices, he
will be there. and in other cities pos
Sibly at the City hall. My Office will in
due time advise postmasters and bank
erS and send out notices to the news
papers stating when the officer will be
IN each county. 1t will he unnecessary
for prospective taxpayers to ask my
office for forms on which to make re-
turns The officer who visits their
| county will have them.
TT may be stated as matter of gem
eral information that net income is the
remainder after subtracting expenses
| iACili U.s. illCOIllc eISOIldl, 1dIIlllS,
| or living expense is not expense in the
meaning of the law. the exemption be-
ing allowed to cover such expenses.
THE new exemptions of $1,000 and
! $4,000 will add tens Of thousands to the
number of income taxpayers in this
district, inasmuch as practically every
farmer, merchant. tradesman, profess
sional man aud salary worker aud
Seat many wage workers will be re-
quired to make return and pay 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 a government
officer does not call. they are relieved
from making report. This is decidedly
| in error. 1T is the other way round
The taxpayer has to go to he govern
rncnt and if he doesn't within the time
prescribed, he is a violator of the law
and the government will go to him with
its penalties"
Seth w. Jones. collector Of internal
revenue, Portsmouth. y. H.. is collec-
tor Of the District of New Hampshire
which comprises the States of Maine,
New Hampshire and Vermont.