Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Feb. 10, 1979, edition 1 / Page 2
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I I Page 2 -The Chronicle, Saturday, February 10, 1 IRS Advice Not A ; . ^ The Internal Revenue Service will provide free tax advice to some 44 million citizens before April 15, but its information may only be worth as much as it costs--nolhing. Dr. Robert S. Holzman, professor of accounting and a specialist in tax matters at the University of Connecticut, charges that IRS agents and their publications frequently offer conflicting and erroneous advice, while accepting no responsibility for their actons: courts have repeatedly ruled that if a mistake is made, it is the taxpayer's fault. Writing in the February Reader's Digest, Holzman says: "The shocking truth is that agency employees can and do make mathematical errors, distribute the wrong forms, offer incorrect advice, overstep their own bounds and even change the rules retroactively." In evidence, he-cites among others_a. study^made last year by the _ General Accounting Uiffice^_^here_ staffets_ posed as puzzled taxpayers at various IKS offices and discovered Two examples illustrate the scope of misinformation the taxpayer is apt to receive: "Your Federal Income Tax," published by the IRS, was distributed to 2.7 million individuals in 1977. In it, one couple found an example on deducting property losses closely analagous to a loss they themselves had experienced. Following the example, they claimed a casualty loss deduction of $2400. The IRS refused to ?: , ^rr y> ' ?Debit Policies Examined Raleigh State Insurance Commissioner John Ingram Kic II 1 A/4 UAA mm ^ ^ ^ * C -i- ? 11 - J iiao ov.^ivuuivu a ii^aiuig un iviart'Il 10 SDUUt SO'C&IICQ debit (industrial) insurance policies and the practices of agents that sell such insurance. The Federal Trade Commission recently released a study that reported that debit life insurance sold. door-to-door and paid for monthly or weekly in smali amounts is "victimizing" the poor, uneducated and uninformed with hig prkca fop Iwp coverage. Debit insurance is^alletHndpsfrria^ffisuranee^ because*^ wanted to lay aside enough money for, a decent burial. It provides low income people with limited benefit protection, for small weekly premiums, supposedly to. keep these people from not having any insurance at all.? W. Kenneth Brown, deputy insurance commissioner, says he has found that the most significant problem is the "oversell" where prospects are sold more insurance than they^an afford or need either through lack of knowledge on the purchaser's part and/or high pressure . sales tactics. There are some instances where the purchaser has bought more than one policy at "tremendous cost" to the, policyholder based on the policyholder's income. Brown savs manv industrial nolicv Huvm-s mnlH probably get more for their money from buying from conventional sales sources if they were qualified both monetarily and for health reasons. However, Brown added, rarely do the sales representatives of the ? -conventional?companies?and?products?go?to?the 1 " underprivileged to sell these "better" products. It was pointed out in the Federal Trade Commissionstudy that the typical customer of such policies earns three to ten thousand dottarc per yearr is a minority, afemale and living either in the South or Midwest. According to the FTC study, although the policies are sold in every state, there seems to be a particular concentration in the South. Brown savs the maior comolaints to the Insurance Commissioner's Office come when the payment and receipt book held by the policyholder does not agree with the book kept by the agent, and when the policyholder discovers that the premiums paid to the company add up to more than the amount which can be collected on the death of the insured. Car Registration Lagging Raleigh--The Division of Motor Vehicl es of the state Department of Transportation reports that during the first two weeks of the registration)renewal period. Approximately 36 percent fewer tags and stickers have been sold this year in this initial 14-day,*' said Elbert L. Peters, Jr., Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. 4 4But there are indications that sales have picked up during the past two weeks," he said^ "We encourage vehicle owners to purchase their tags or stickers now while the lines are usually short." Peters said owners who have not received a 1979 renewal card should notify the motor vehicles division immediately by telephone at (9L9) 733-6505 between 8:30 a.m. and 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. A renewal ClirH U/S11 hp iccnrP A onH moifVin n/iUi/.1a ?-???'?" vv uoui V U unu uianvu lU lilb TV.U1V.1W uniici. Stickers or tags may be purchased at branch offices or through the mail from the Divison of Motor Vehicles, 1100 New Bern Avenue, Raleigh, N.C. 27697.' Peters said the agency cannot guarantee delivery of tags or stickers ordered through the mail after February 1. DOT Hearing Set Raleigh?A public hearing to provide area residents with an opportunity to participate in the annual update of the state's Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) will be held in Salisbury. jgT" n m nn Yf ||| || I jtiHI, f jj|| HMI>nidi the meeting for residents in state highway division 9f will be held in the commissioners' meeting room at the community building. Division composed of David&o*v, Davie^ Ftriyib^ ^ ? Included in the TIP are aviation, public transportation and highway pdfoects,- The TIP is the stair Departmentof Transportation's basic planning document which balances anticipated revenues against estirnatcd future project cos^s. r ? I 1979 Jways Correct allow the deduction and was upheld by a judge of the U.S. Tax Court, who explained: "such informal publication is not a source of authoritative law in the tax field." * In another incident, a taxpayer was notified that he owed additional tax. Since he wanted to have the matter reviewed by a U.S. Tax Court, he asked the IRS how much time he would have to appeal. Twoo different IRS representatives gave him the same deadline. When he filed, however, the IRS threw his petition out on the ground that it was late. The Tax Court concurred, noting that he should have been "capable of determining the 90-day period himself." To its credit, the IRS has introduced a simpified short form that is less error-prone than its pe^decessor, beefed _up its assistance centers and intensififed its training program^- But much remains to be done. "The agency should inform taxpayers in clear and unequivocal "Holzman writes, adding that "it should also warn them that the taxpayer will be liable for any errors made. It should continue simplifying its forms and improving its training programs to help reduce the rate of error. Finally, the Congress should produce a tax law written is such a way that average taxpayers can understand it and file their returns without professional help; ~ 5 V ? . Sugars I ~~ 1 Threaten Teeth ^^h^Hac Raleigh-A state dental expert says hidden su- I *> gars in variety of foods | ED KJ are more dangerous than ? .. i mWm Stable eating sugar alone. WWW "Good nutritions is ^mr Mr. ^ ,^the base of healthy bod- '* . . ies and healthy teeth," BobJUblefool - Dr. George Dudney~ head of the dental health the state Department of Human Resources, said.. pie don't realize is just how damaging constant intake of sugar is to V teeth and gums. An i >Ji~| individual, particularly a child, would be better off 'J[B eating all of the; sugar he ^HaBaUffl 2 or she is- going to eat HUUUUU^HH Oil during the day at one ffl time rather than eating ||1U= small amounts of sugar raf several times during the . day. "So many things have sugar in them--cereals, ~ J soft drinks, canned vegetables, etc. ~ I In fact, people don't realize that sugar is add- I ed to many thines thev I eat including, m spme ? instances, Utile salt. : B "People can recognize 7^11 the hidden sugars in I . =fc-<|j foods by reading labels. B feSB Sugar is listed under I several names such as sucrose, glucose, corn | syrup, coconut oil or 1 dextrose. All of them IsidlilL^LIn' can be changed to acid in ^ the producing, over a dental diseases. I B5 I "What happens when people eat sugar is that it breaks down ratter quickly in the mouth I to form acids which I I cause dental cavities and gum diseases," Dudney V - W _ ' ~~ WINSTON-SALEM I CHRONICLE The Winston-Salem Chronicle every Thursday by the Winston-Salem Chron- * icle Publishing Com- ?X pany, Inc. 603 Pepper Building -102 W. 4th Mailing Address: p.o. | - Publisher'* Associstkm. i \ Elderly and Handicf New Smoke Detect Twenty-eight elderly and of a fire can greatly reduce handicapped Winston- the property loss. Salem residents will soon "Early detection can cerhave new smoke detectors tainly reduce or eliminate installed in their homes the loss of life," he strebecause of the generosity of ssed. "Our department's theiocal National Exchange objective is to encourage Club. e\ try homeowner to install Members of the club some type of early warning recently presented the ' system in their home." Winston-Salem Fire Depar- The Exchange Club metment with a check for $400 mbers will be aided by to^purehase the detectors, employees of the Experi Firefighters In the City's ment in Self Reliance (ESIIY tho .^flutreachJBrogram in de.tet.-_ "If our donation $aves receive a smoke detector, one life, our efforts wil have "The districts will keep a been well worth it." said record of each recipient and Jim Hunter, president of return to the home when the club.- time for the battery to Chief A.B. Bullard told be replaced/'Chief Bullard those attending the presen- said. "Fire personnel will tation that early detection also map out a home fire EDKELI Is Largest T\f Audio, & Applic 1 i ELLY s announces the addition of Mr. Bob . J (foot to the staff of the Main St. Showroom. tablefoot invites all his friends to visit him lb e welcomes the opportunity to serve you. 1ij ip?^?, ^jk Frost QiUifl BUl^Lfl Lock & Key ' ^A*s/sss J ??1 SONIC - ->T SPEAKERS " B- ?.. J." 2 for the Price of 1 \ ^ Bay one for \ '?_ and get the second ^J? I -?ntlC / uAk 1 woofer, 3" tweeter, 30 to 19,000 hz. At ipped To Get ors For Homes escape route for the recip- Salem home. ients." ? "We will make inspectThe Exchange Club's gift ions on request to Ceteris the first given to the Fire mine where detectors Department, which is work- should be placed," said E. ing to-have smoke detectors W. Hooven of Fire Preventinstalled in every Winston- ion. Evergreen Graves From Page 1 | pauper's grave/' said Russell. MI'f they [| have any insurance at all, they don't H ' I qualify." - ~ ? ??7. ? Russell said the wooden boxes cost |||| III I H I o II 11.11 .111 i II . J?T Bolick said he doesn't see a need to require masonry liners now, because of a voluntary effort ' with the funeral directors to use masonry liners when , possible. The superintendent said thr a "much greater percentage of gr? are equipped with masonry liner? in past years. || VC'Smm* ince Discount Dealer^-*? 51000 I ISTANT CREDIT ^pro^^^major credit cards. fgSSX^ Your Choicer] I diagonal Mediterranean wry ? ? ? Rlr or tariy American Style Color 18 CONSOLE TV. Power Sentry r Voltage Regulator ~j* U8CS ^CSS ? ^|^__witjuolor trade B 'L, Electronic H < "iTf"' 'T"3hL I Board Control. reg.$664.00 Less Rebate of $65.00 91 v<JSCQOr J |Cost__%# +0 trade g5gRrz^| | \^s iiiiMtia ^ - Mil u? .' r.~?_? . d a I o o o'eo? ill . sb=====MI 7 t"*| ?18-track I i,* Recorder FISHER ig9?s I i A BSS58 Sep. Rcc. Levels < I jt ^ / DC Governor Motor m ** v/y. / .3 days only B^P^SHBHBH9|HEBBDBBEBDBH^^|Sc9SBi y / IP#^JinTT1 jijfiKfiTuyH '?*?*?? ' V. "??-~ JM m'<' ?' - .; I - - ?'
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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Feb. 10, 1979, edition 1
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