The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-12-15
INCOME RETUll
TO BE MADE SOON
Government Men to Help Tax
payers

payers
Columbia, Dec. 13.-Extensive plans
for aiding taxpayers in filing their in
come tax returns for the year 1920
are being made by the bureau Of in
ternal revenue. Revenue officers
will visit every county in the United
States to assist in making out the
forms. The date of their arrival and
the location OF their offices will be an
nounced through the press, or may be
obtained on inquiry at offices of COL
lectors Of internal revenue and branch
offices. The services of government
experts heretofore offered to city res
idents will be continued.
Forms for filing 1920 returns Of in
come will be sent by collectors to
persons who last year filed a return.
Failure to receive a form, however,
does not relieve a person from his
obligation to file return within the
time prescribed. Copies may be OBJ
tanned from Offices of collectors Of
internal revenue. branch offices, post
Offices and banks, and are expected
to be available on or before jan
uary /.
Revenue officers assigned to the
work of assisting taxpayers also will
be supplied with forms, concerning
which, and the various items Of in
come to be included, they will be
prepared to answer any and all ques-
tions. 1t has been demonstrated
however, that many questions may be
eliminated il the taxpayer. before
seeking tho assistance of revenue
officer will carefully study the in
structions on the form. <
The period for filing returns is from
January l to March Is, 1921. The
tax. this year as last, may be paid in
fun at the time of filing the return
or In four installments, the first of
which Is due on or before March 15,
the second on or before June Is, the
third on or before September Is and
the fourth on or before December Is.
The first installment must accom-
pany the filing Of the return.
Persons whose individual net in
come for 1920 was $1,000 and less
should ask for Form 1910 A. Those
whose individual net income was in
SASooo VI v"'oVV Siou.u aoh toi HOrHi
10A0.
The bureau Of internal revenue Is
urging taxpayers not to delay in the
filing of their returns. Merchants
and business men are casting up their
accounts for the calendar year 1920
With, the facts and figures necessary
to make correct return fresh in
form soon after January l will te an
easier task, the bureau points out,
than'i II delayed.
The requirements of the revenue
act relating to returns for the year
1870 are. the same as those for the
year 1919. Every single. person whose
net income for 1920 was $1,000 Or
more and every married person whose
net income was $4,000 or more must
hle return. The exemptions are
$1,000 for single persons and $4,000
Tor married persons and heads of
families, plus an additional exemption
OF 5000 for each person dependent
upon the taxpayer for chief support
IL such person Is under Is years Of
age or incapable of self support A
single person may claim an exemp-
tion of $4,000 as the head of a fam
lily II he is the sole support Of one or
moro relatives living in the same
house with him, and ii he exercises
control over household affairs. De-
ductions from gross income to which
the taxpayer is entitled in arriving
at net income are fully explained in
the instructions on the forms.
The bureau is emphasizing this year
that the requirement to file a return
rests solely upon a persons marital
status and the amount of his or her
net income for the year 1920. Single
persons whose net income was 1000
or more and married persons whose
net income was $4,000 or more must
file a return regardless OF whether
their incomes are nOn-taXable by rea-
son OF their exemptions.
The normal tax rate for 1920 is 4
per cent on the first $4,000 of net in
come above the exemption, and s
per cent. on the remaining net in
come. The surtax rate, which is com =
'puted without the benefit of the ex-
emption, ranges from / per cent. on
the amount OF net income between
$1,000 and $4,000 to 65 per cent. on
'ue aIhouht VI hel inCoiHe III eACeSa
of $1.000,000.
For the information Of taxpayers
In filing their returns. there has been
|prcpared by the bureau Of internal
revenue q. series Of short articles on
the income tax laws and 1920 regula-
itions. the first Of which will appear
on January 3. Errors heretofore
made have been noted, and the tax
payer is told how this year they may
be avoided.