Evening journal., 1923-01-04
Lineup PAYERS
OF Income TAX
Returns Must Be Made
by All Eligible by
March IS
MANY MUST FILE
IF NO TAX Is DUE

Before Match Is, 1928. every res.
ident OF the United states IS required
bv Federal law 20 determine the eX-
act amount OF his income for the
year Just ended. 1922, unless special
permission has been granted for the
use of some other fiscal period OF &C
counting. After determining this IN
come for the past year. one must as
certain whether or not It will be nee
essary to MI out an income tax blank
according TO the filing requirements
u the law. These requirements
diner from the requirements for the
taxing OF income.
The records OF the Delaware col
lection district show that more per
cons have been delinquent through
failure 10 file returns during the
past year than ever before because
they overlooked the fling require
rnents which make a return neces-
sary oftentimes when there is no
tax due.
Filing Requirements
Married men, or women, who are
living with husband or wife on De-
cember 81, 1922. must file if the net
income exceeds. $4,000. This figure
should not be confused with the
$4,000 exemption Of income for tax
ing purposes. Nor should a person
fall to file because his or her in
come is not taxable because OF de-
pendent children under IS.
Single persons, heads OF families,
and persons married but not living
together must file II the net income
equals or exceeds $1,000. This IS
important for heads OF families" to
understand, inasmuch as the mis-
take Is often made by the head OF
family without a husband or wife
that they need not file unless the
income Is $4,000. The filing require
ments OF the act put their figure
for filing at $1,000.
Gross Income of $4,000.
A further filing requirement I'M
der the 1921 act compels a person
whose gross income equals or eX-
ceeds $4,000 20 file, even though his
net income does not exceed his ex-
emption from filing under the single
or married and living with wife
classification. Gross income, as used /
in the act, means gains profits and
income derived from any source
whatever which is not specifically 4
exempt under the act Specific ex- 1
emptions Of income viii be dealt /
With separately in this series OF arti-
cles. For a shopkeeper or proprie-
tor of a business, the gross income 3
IL the balance after merchandise
bought for sale, inventories and la
Dor and supplies directly put on the
goods have been deducted from
gross receipts, From this gross in
come, the allowable business deduc-
lions are taken, to compute net in
come. However, IL the gross income
figure is 5000 or more, a return
must be flied, regardless OF whether
tax Is due or not.
Where and When 10 File.
The law requires that all returns
be fled in the Collectors once. 3rd
Floor. Post once Building. Ninth
and shipley streets. Wilmington, or
deposited in the mails before mid
night Of March Is. 1928, unless an
extension because OF sickness or alb
sence from the country has been
granted by the Collector in writing.
When in doubt as to liability 20 file
return persons should visit that
Office and get correct information.
Excuses that some one told you
you we're not required to file a re-
ttrn will not save you from the
penlties for violating the law.
These penalties are severe. Num-
herless other excuses and reasons for
not fling on time are given by per-
sons who had no intention OF evad-
ing the law, but such do not relieve
from the penalties. II Is well to
remember that few. II any. excuses
win stand when one Is discovered
delinquent. A frequent one is that
no blank form was received.
This is insufficient TO avoid penal
les, inasmuoh as the Revenue Blu ,
reau places responsibility for secur-
ing these forms on the taxpayer and
that Il is not the Bureaus
responsibility. Therefore. II no form
IS received, write, telephone or visit
he collectors Office to secure one.
mother frequent excuse made by a
person is that he Cor she) did not
,now so much money was earned.
Here again. the law places this re-
possibility upon the taxpayer. A
,erson must find out his Cor ber)
.arnings for 1922 by asking .he en-
oioyer Il necessary.
To sum up, all information regard |
ng the fling OF returns can be best
md most safely secured, by a letter.
eiephone or personal interview at
he Income Tax Division in the Post Z
)fice building.