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HIS Tax PrapviHon GuMi Different services available By Jimmy Thornton Copley News Service Tax forms may be simpler than ever, as claimed by Uncle Sam, but that doesn't mean you will enjoy filling in the blanks. You, like thousands of fellow Americans, may prefer to let somebody else do it. And that's why you see so many tax preparation services offering to help -- for a fee, of course. Before you select a commercial ser­ vice, consider whether you need one. For example, community agencies often help people like the elderly com­ plete their taxes. If you are using the 1040 short form, the Internal Revenue Service will com­ plete most of it for you free. The IRS of­ fers other assistance, but its phones often are so busy you must dial time after time to get through. Too, if you have a simple financial setup -- you do a job, get paid and pay taxes -- filling your own forms is sim­ ple. The IRS will give you free instruc­ tions how to do it. However, many people find that the governments want not only the 1040 form and state form, but also a ream of schedules. If you itemize, you need one schedule. If you have a business on the side, you need another. Just being mar­ ried to a wage earner means you have to file the Schedule W or you can lose money. Consequently, many people look to tax preparation services. Following are the types of services -- and how they differ -- as listed by the Federal Trade Commission: •Enrolled agent. The individual is certified by the IRS after having work­ ed five years as a government tax auditor or after having passed an ex­ am. The certification is significant. It allows the agent to represent you before the IRS. That means the cer­ tified individual may appear on your behalf before the IRS if your return is challenged by the government and that you don't have to be present. •Certified Public Accountant. The CPA has had to pass a qualifying exam before being allowed to do business as a CPA. The CPA also may represent you before the IRS. •Public accountant. An accountant may specialize in taxes; however, he or she is not certified and may not repre­ sent you before the IRS. •Attorney. They may or may not have special tax training. An attorney may represent you before the IRS. •Others. Anyone -- with or without special training -- can perform tax preparation services. Some firms train their preparers extensively, the FTC reports. When you are deciding on which ser­ vice to use, you should ask the follow­ ing questions: •What qualifies you to do tax forms? What is your training? Experience? •Will someone other than you double- check my return? Will he check merely for math errors or will he look or errors in applying the tax laws? •What's it going to cost? •What help will you provide if I am audited? What will it cost? There is a Catch-22 in tax prepara­ tion. No matter who prepares your forms, you are personally liable for any additional tax, interest or penalty even if you have a written guarantee that the preparer will pay any interest or penal­ ty assessed as a result of the service. Beating Job Cheaters Today's tight market may lead some job applicants to lie about their ex­ perience. Extensive background- checking is costly and time-consuming, says the Personal Advisory Bulletin, a Waterford, Conn.-based newsletter which claims tipt it is easier to look for "red flags" in resumes. These are: describing previous employment in overblown language, masking negative details in mean­ ingless language, hiding gaps in time by using calendar years as the fram of reference, omitting jobs that ended in failure and falsifying education creden­ tials. -CNS K 90 Days Free Financing With Established Credit REFUND TO V & V T V 1<y,CBWiae§ $90000 Or COLOR TV *03 • Zenith Chramasharp 90 Picture Tube for superb picture sharp nets and tnghNgtvt dttnl. • Dependable 100% Modular 2-1 Chassis tor-long-life ratability. • Super Video Ranee Tuning with Perme-Set Fine-Tuning. NOW • SA1927W svsTcmi • Chromacolor Contrast * » annn Picture Kibe 449 * 157Ownnel Tuning 100% Modular Chassis File Now! Help IRS process more quickly THANKS AWHAi iMeAtf&ei MP B&AW&r ,i f t i ' ( , #i / • i, i , i , , A P I HL I f SERV ICE MESSAGE hKOM THE IN I &RNAL RtVEM t "sF H\ IC t 13 COLOR TV _ NOW $238°° • Mm line portable with Zenith Quality Picture Tube tor outstanding sharpness. 100% Modular Z-l Chassis for STOP IN TODAY! V & V TV & APPLIANCE CHOPS! ZtNITH/f «ST CHOfCt OF MfLUQWg 124 BENTON ST, WOODSTOCK 338-0722