Don't Wait Until April 14 To Hire Tax Preparer
It you arc considering hiring a lax
preparer, the N.C. Association of
Certified Public Accountants recom
mends that you begin your search
for the right help now. Not all tax
preparers are created equal, and
those that may be the most qualified
to prepare your return could be un
available if you wait until your tax
return is due.
Among those who can help you
prepare your return are certified
public accountants (CPAs), tax attor
neys and enrolled agents (individu
als certified by the U.S. Treasury
Department).
These arc the only professionals
who can represent you legally be
fore the IKS in the event your tax re
turn is audited.
Determine Your Needs
To ensure that you hire the right
kind of professional, consider the
complexity of your tax return. Do
you have a home-based business?
1 lave you had large capital gains or
losses in the last year? Did you ex
perience a large casualty loss in the
past year? Do you have rental prop
erty? If so. try to retain a tax profes
sional who has had experience deal
ing with these kinds of issues.
F.ven if your needs are not com
plex. you may still find the help of a
lax preparer to be cost effective if
you have experienced a major life
style change, such as retiring, di
vorcing or assuming full-time care
for a relative. Additionally, if you
think the new tax law will result in
significant changes to your tax lia
bility, it may benefit you to obtain
assistance from a tax professional.
Shop Around
If you've never hired a tax prepar
er before, you can start searching for
one by contacting friends and asso
ciates who may have similar in
comes or be involved in similar lines
of work. You can also check with
your local chamber of commerce, as
well as civic and church groups for
names of qualified lax professionals.
Finally, ask other professionals you
know, such as hankers and insurance
agents, for referrals.
Once you've obtained a few
names, try to call or personally in
terview at least three different tax
preparers. This will enable you to
assess differences in style, capabili
ties, and fee structures.
Check Backgrounds
During the interview process,
you'll want to learn as much as pos
sible about the preparer's profes
sional background. Find out whether
the individuals work as tax preparers
full-time or part-time, the number of
years of experience, their level of
education, and whether they partici
pate in continuing professional edu
cation. You'll also want to ask about
their memberships in professional
tax associations.
Also, don't be shy about asking a
prospective tax preparer for the
names of clients you can contact.
Find out from past clients how satis
fied they were with the work per
formed and whether it was done in a
timely manner. You may also want
to ask such clients how aggressive
the tax professional is and consider
whether you will be comfortable
with his or her style.
Discuss Fees
The cost for preparing your tax
return can range anywhere from un
der $ 1 (K) for a short-form return to
thousands of dollars for a complicat
ed return. Find out whether the tax
preparer charges on an hourly basis,
uses a lump sum. or bases the fee on
the number of tax forms that need to
be completed.
To assist your tax preparer in de
termining a fee. you may want to
provide him or her with a copy of
your tax return from last year, point
ing out any differences in your ti
nancial or tax situation.
Beware of tax preparers who say
they will base their fee on the refund
BUSINESS BRIEFS
Sheila Wood Recognized
For Nursing Excellence
Sheila Wood, R.N., a staff nurse mon link we have with each other,
at The Brunswick Hospital in Excellence in nursing is a retlection
Supply, is one of humanity itself."
of 21 registered Wood is a full-time staff member
nurses in the in the Emergency Services Depart
Coastal Area Ti& mcnt, but works in the Intensive
Health Educ- r" Care Unit or Medical/Surgical Unit
ation Center rc- H L^H if needed. She is certified in ad
gion honored m. v vanced cardiac life support, basic
with an "Excel- trauma life support and pediatric ad
lence in Nurs- vanced life support, and is a certi
ing" award. l ied mobile intensive care nurse.
The award She has been a member of The
was presented at wood Brunswick Hospital staff for 11
a dinner Jan. 20 by Dennis Sherrod, years.
director of North Carolina's Center ? tf-n * jj , _ ?
for Nursing. UCB Adds Networks
Her supervisors nominated Wood ' nited ( arolina Bank has an
.i t ? e .i ... nounced its participation in both the
on the basis ot three criteria: a mini- .. i ?? . ? ,
,? Honor and Maestro point-of-sale
mum ot three years ot continuous . . 1
. ... - , networks.
start nursinc experience; demon- .r. ,,
. . , 1 , u.i. The two programs allow cus
strated competence: and a short let- . ' . & .
? tomers to make purchases using
ter bv Wood on excellence in nurs- ... . '. .. . . &
? i their automatic teller machine
(ATM) cards to deduct the amount
"Excellence in nursing is the of purchases directly from their
unique ability to care beyond reali- checking accounts.
ty," Wood wrote. "While reform and "The new POS service will enable
change surround us. we must hold customers to use their "ucb24"
on tight to the solid foundation of banking cards as an alternative to
Ciiiuig ioi oui ieiiuw iiunimi beings, writing checks or using rash for the
As we struggle to find our places in payment of purchases made at par
a profession of growth, we must not ticipating merchants." said UCB
lose sight of or drift from the com- spokesman John F. McLaughlin.
No More Emergency Funds
For Jobless, ESC Head Says
As of last weekend, unemployed run as usual."
Brunswick Cniintians are no longer The emergency unemployment
eligible for emergency unemploy- benefits program was first passed in
ment insurance benefits after their late ivvi, anu has been extended
regular benefits run out, said Ann Q. several times since then. It was in
Duncan chairman of the state's tended to provide additional weeks
Employment Security Commission. of unemployment insurance money
The federal emergency unem- to people who were still unem
ployment insurance program for ployed when their regular benefits
new claims expired Feb. 5. ran out.
"We won't be able to provide In its current form, the emergency
these emergency benefits to any new unemployment insurance program
people," Duncan said. "Those folks will expire for everybody April 30,
already receiving benefits will be 1994. In 1993, ESC paid more than
able to continue, and our regular un- SI97 million in emergency benefits,
employment insurance program will Duncan said.
DlfiNfi'S INCOME TAX SERVICE
Staff of Well-Qualified Tax Preparers ?
Open All Year ? Starling Rate $20
Electronic Filing ? Super Fast Refunds
Federal & All State Returns ? Computerized Payroll Services
2 LOCATIONS
280 Holden Beach Rd 9905 Beach Dr
(A mile from Wal-Mart) (500 ft east of stoplight)
PO Box 384 P.O. Box 44023
Shallotte, NC 28459 Calabash NC 28467
(910)754-8979 (910)579-8485
they obtain for you. Chances are tribute to the tax preparation pro
thesc individuals may be acting im- cess. If you tan identify the tax is
properly. sues that need to be addressed and
Prepare Kor The Preparer have well organized tax records, a
Any good tax preparer will want preparer can work more efficiently
to find out how much you can con- and cost-effectively.
Welcome Center Hosts 400,000
The Southeastern Welcome Cent- during the winter months. In IW3.
er. Inc. reports that more than July had the most visitors with
4(K).(KK) travelers visited the facility 47,939, and December with the
in 1993. least. 19,996.
The N.C. Department of Trans- .. .. -??,,,?>/> . .
. ; ... . r,. More than 240,00(1 brochures
portation provides monthly traffic . ... ... .
1 ,. . . .i were distributed last year. Staff also
reports which show a signiticant in- ... . . ... , r
' ? , .... ,.US, .... assists in making hotel and terry
crease in traffic over IW2. I ne cen- , ? . ...
. - ... ... ,. reservations throughout the state,
ter logged 152,133 vehicles Irom .... , . .
oe> there were 352 hotel
and 326 ferry reservation
the welcome center staff.
In February 1994 the
to Thanksgiving, but has been slow celebrate its second birthday.
. ... , , . . . There were 352 hotel reservations
January to December, which trans- . .. . .
i . ? . ..men ? ?. and 326 lerry reservations made by
lates into 4It).759 visitors. 1
Center Director Sabrina Hodges
says traffic was steady from Faster In February 1994 the center wil
Support For Squad
Shallotte Volunteer Rescue Squad member Ray Jackson (left) ac
cepts a donation from Ren Milter, assistant manager of the Shal
lotte Wal-Mart. The contribution was part of a corporate program
to donate money from vending machine sales to local nonprofit or
ganizations.
Announcing New Services From h
?1'
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a
ATLANTIC TELEPHONE
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and your phone dials the last number you called. If
tKn lina Ir K... ..
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Don't Leave Special Calls
When You Leave Home
You're away from home for the evening. You want to
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to be forwarded. How do you do it?
With PREFERRED CALL. FORWARDING, you de
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Tame Those Harassing Calls
Harassing, threatening or obscene telephone calls
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With CALL TRACE, you can. Simply dial a code
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Don't Drop Everything *
Whenever the Phone Rings
Everyone has people they always want to hear from:
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With PRIORITY RINGING, your phone rings with
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And if you have CALL WAITING, you viii hear a
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CALL SCREENING helps ensure your privacy.
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which calls to answer with CALLER ID. A spe
cial display unit attached to your phone displays
the calling number.
ATLANTIC TELEPHONE
MEMBERSHIP CORP.
P.O. BOX 3198 ? SHALLOTTE, NC 28459 ? (910)754-4311