Evening star., 1944-03-16
Taxpayers Face
April 15Task Of
Levy
More Simple System
Of Income Returns
Promised for Future

The American taxpayer, who has
just filed the most complicated in
come tax return in history, now faces
the problem OF guessing how much
tax he will have to pay this year,
but can look forward with some hope
to a more simple system of tax
collection In the future.
The last taxpayer here to file at
midnight last night was 1t. Joseph
S. Leggett of Plymouth. N. c., who
is stationed at the National Airport.
The total number calling at the
local office yesterday was 15,480, but
they filed through in much shorter
lines than on Monday and Tuesday.
At Alexandria $500 people visited
the Revenue Bureau.
No Final Mail Rush.
The last-minute rush of mail ear
marked for the collector OF internal
revenue was considerably less than
last year, Postmaster Vincent Burke
said today, and he advanced q
theory as to the decrease.
1T seems that a lot of people
this year are expecting refunds on
their income tax payments so they
didn't wait until the last minute to
file their returns" he said. Its
only the fellow who owes 5000 or
$500 in taxes who waits until the last
painful moment to pay his taxes"
Meantime, another form is to bs
mailed soon to taxpayers who will
be required to file on or before
April Is, an estimate of how much
income they expect in the calendar
year 1914 and the probable tax. If
the current withholdings from pay
envelopes do not meet the estimated
levy for this year, the taxpayers will
be expected to pay at least one
fourth Of this years income tax by
April IS. All this is provided in the
new system of ''pay-as-you-go" tax
alton.
To Be Easier Hereafter.
But for the future, the House
Ways and Means Committee holds
out hope 1t will never be so bad
again. Chairman Doughton, after
a meeting of the committee yes.
terday, predicted that about 30,-
000, 900 out Of the $4,000, 900 tax
payers will never again have to file
a complicated March Is return.
Details OF the plan agreed to by
the committee probably will be an.
nounced tomorrow, he said.
The simplification plan, according
to indications, will revolve around
the abolition of the usual year-end
income tax return which taxpayers
have had to file in March to clear
up business for the preceding year.
In place of such a return the with
holding tax taken out of pay en-.
velopes by employers would be
turned over to the Treasury and the
employer and employe both would
sign Withholding certificate known
as form W.. about the size of q
check. 1t would provide for certain
simple exemptions. This small form
would go to the Bureau of Internal
Revenue for audit, and would re-
place the former long income tax
return. Thus. withholding would
virtually constitute the tax.
For other persons, however, with
business or professional complica-
tions, or substantial credit and de.
duction problems, simplifed in
come tax form would be available.
The victory tax would be COM
bined with the surtax and normal
tax, to make one levy, instead of
three.
Emphasis on Simplification.
Reports were current that a
fiat" system of family status ex-
emptions might be included to
allow $500 for each individual in
stead of the present system of pro-
viding $500 for a single person,
$1,000 for married couples and $3.50
for each child. Congress, however,
is not expected to reduce the
amount of tax.
The immediate problem faced by
about 100000 taxpayers, however,
Is the new form to be made public
Sunday. which must be filled out and
filed by April Is. This is the So
called declaration" of estimated in
come and tax for 1914. Many people
probably will find they must pay
something in cash April Is, over and
above what will. be taken out of their
earnings by withholding.
You are one of the $1,000 900 re-
quired to go through this new guess
ing game, something like the one
last September, if:
l. You expect to have 1914 income
of more than $2,700 If single, or
$500 for married couple. Or
2. You expect to have outside in