The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-01-23
INCOME TAX
DRIVE IS ON
Every Citizen Will Find It to His In
terest to Carefully Study Out the
Following Instructions
Especial to the Starr

JdckSOuVlIf6, Jan. Z0.-1ne Dig IN
come tax drive of 1919 is now under
way, and every preparation is being
made to handle the largest collection
in the history of income tax. 81 am
not waiting for the final passage of
the new revenue bill by Congress"
said Collector of Internal Revenue
James M. Cathcart last night, NOR
for the new regulations and blank
forms to be issued. To get this big
tax in and get it accurate and COM
plete, | urge that we all begin now"
"The income tax obligations i'm
posed by the old laws. as well as the
measure now in Congress, consist of
two distinct operations. One is, to
file return Or statement of all items of
income of deductions allowable by
law, and to do this within the period
named in the law. The other is, to
pay the tax, if any Is due.
Neither of these obligations can
be met without a careful review of
income and expenditure for the tax
year. That is the big job right now,
and that is why | say the income tax
drive is already under way. Every
where the pencil is busy. The old
year is done; all it's fruits are CLEAN
ed; and every person who Jared well,
OF earned good competence. must
analyze his own case in cold figures.
"When the new bill is enacted into
law, l will have the proper return
forms distributed throughout the dis
trict, and everybody will be informed
of the date when the sworn return
must be filed. 1t is my plan to send
my men out to central locations, and
to have them travel through the dis
trict, aiding taxpayers in the prepar-
alton of the returns and in deciding
doubtful points. We will go right to
the people with the income tax, and
with the cooperation. which the pub
lie can give the government men, the
returns will be filed by everybody
who comes under the laws provisions,
the right taxes will be paid, and the
district will have done its full pat.
riotic duty toward the governments
support.
Prepare Your Figures Now
Meanwhile, let me say again, there
is no need of delaying the prepara-
ton of figures. Anything that Con-
gress does now will not affect the
amount of persons earnings for
1918. Let us avoid the belated throw
ing together of figures that may hit
or miss. Guesses cannot be accepted
as the basis of taxation. It is clearly
the duty of every person to compile
correct figures and ascertain whether
his income for 1918 was sufficient to
make necessary sworn return.
''The year 1918 was a banner year
for salaries and wages, and the high
war prices brought unusual profits to
the average small tradesman and to
the farmer. The opinion in Washing
ton is that a million citizens will
make this year their first income tax
returns.
"All signs indicate that the income
tax this year will reach nearly every
working man and woman, and nearly
every merchant. shop keeper and
farmer. Not all will have to pay the
tax, but nearly all will be obliged to
make sworn statement of the years
income.
"I am therefore advising every un-
married person who earned $1,000 or
over during the year 1918, and every
married person. who together with
wife or husband, earned $4,000 to
sharpen his pencil and figure out how
he stands.
'"He must ascertain accurately his
gross income from all sources. There
is his salary or wages, including over
time pay and any bonus received as
/ additional compensation. A married
person having children under 18 who
are working, should include the earn
ings of such children.
eff he sold any property at profit,
the gain must be computed and in
Guided in gross income. If he rented
any property to other persons, the
total rents received in the year must
be ascertained, and from that figure
a deduction may be taken for taxes
fpaid on rented property, the neces-
sary minor repairs, fire insurance
any interest he may have paid on
mortgage, and reasonable allowance
for wear and tear of the rented
property. The balance is included IN
gross income for the year.
"Interest on bank deposits, wheth-
! er withdrawn or added to his bank
balances, must be included in all cal.
citations of income Bond interest
received during the year must also be
included, except interest on munich
pal, county or state bonds. Interest
on United States bonds need not b,
included by the ordinary bond holder
who purchased small amounts. Hold