TAKING
TIME
by Rebecca Escott
Extension Home Economist
Applying For Tax Credits
Recent news about tax in
creases has overshadowed an op
portunity that could put money in
some families’ pockets. If you
earned less than $22,370 in 1992
and had at least one child living at
home, call 1-800-TAX-1040 to
see if you are eligible to receive up
to $2,211 credit If you don’t owe
any taxes, call anyway. You may
receive a refund.
The tax credit is possible
through the Earned Income Credit
(EIC). This program is for work
ing families with low to moderate
incomes. You must have been em
ployed during 1992, and you must
have had a child or other eligible
dependent living with you for at
least six months during the tax
year. Some families who would
not normally qualify may be with
in the given standards this year
due to lay-offs or unemployment
during part of the year.
Nationally, more than 14 per
cent of the families eligible for
EIC benefits are not receiving
them, either because they do not
know about them or because they
have not filed for various reasons.
In some rural areas, the percentage
is much higher. Farm families
who have an accountant file their
business and personal returns
should mako sure this potential
credit is explored.
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Most families who have an ad
justed gross incomes between
$6,000 and $13,000 will qualify
for at least $l,OOO. But no family
can receive this credit without
having first filed a 1040 or a
1040 A federal income tax return.
An individual must do this even if
she has no income tax withheld
from her paycheck. She must also
file the “Schedule EIC.” The IRS
will NOT credit the amount auto
matically. All filers should know
that they only need to complete
the front side of the Schedule EIC.
If they choose, the IRS will com
plete the more complicated cal
culations on the second side of the
form and compute the credit for
them.
Those married couples who use
the “married couple filing sep
arately” status and those families
using the 1040EZ forms cannot
claim the credit For the 1993 tax
year, workers may want to file a
W-5 form with their employers.
This allows the extra income to be
included in small increments with
each paycheck rather than waiting
for a refund next April. Farmers
who don’t receive a regular “pay
check” will owe less money at the
end of the year.
This credit is not included in the
income that determines eligibility
for public assistance funds. Fam
ilies who currently receive SSI,
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For prompt delivery contact
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(717) 354-1370
Cook The Pink Out Of Hamburger
cook me nnK uui oi naniDur * v boards, dishes, utensils, and sur
ger A recent outbreak of food- Bacteria mat was present in me f
borne illness in the western U S meat. The bacteria was a form of .. lhat " av ® come in contact
Dome illness in me western u.a. Escherichia cnli bacteria Wlth raw meat in hot soa Py water.
has caused many consumers to be b ““ e ™: + Sanitizing dishes and equip
concemed about the safely of I* 3 " 160 co “ Accora- n tri „, ac L„
irroiind beef mg to Penn State University Food ® nt ’ in addition to washing.
The outbreak occurred when Scientist, Dr. Stephen Knabel, E. rcduce -> the number of bacteria
ine outoreaK occurrea wnen , iOIS7 . H7i f [ , . more than just washing. To sanit
hamburgers at a fast food restaur- con oia /.h /is tamy rare ana eas- . ,
ily destroyed when meats are , z ®’ lor e y er y gallon of clean,
cooked to well-done. lukewarm (not hot) water, add one
This outbreak serves as a of liquid chlorine
reminder to home cooks and food b ea^ b j. washed and
service staff that proper handling nnsed dishes “ sol l utl ?" for
of food can prevent food-borne ill- one mmute - Air ,s If " ot
ness. In the U.S., it is estimated pessary to nnse the dishes. If the
that more than 60 million cases of ?° u^ on beg"} Blo B et sudsy, it will
food-borne illness occur each b ® ineffective in sanitizing,
year, resulting in several thousand Change the water and make a new
deaths and billions of dollars in so uU ° n ' .
lost wages, medical and legal , + Counter tops and equipment
expenses. Often food-borne ill- a i cannot be immersed in water
ness is mistaken for the flu or a 24 f h hould wasbed and . nnsed and
hour “bug ” then san,Uze ® By wiping with a
About 90% of the cases of food- dean cloth dipped in a sanitizing
borne illness each year are caused solution of two tablespoons of
by improper handling of food at chlorine bleach for every gallon of
home and at the food service lukewarm water. Air dry.
establishment. To ensure the safe- + Before starting to prepare
ty of the ground beef that you use, ho° d ’ wash hands in warm soapy
practice the following; water. While handling food, wash
+ Cook all ground beef pro- hands after handling raw foods,
ducts until the center is gray and using the toilet or helping some
the juices run clear. This occurs °! le e * se use fhe toilet, changing a
when the internal temperature diaper, smoking, touching the face
reaches 160*F. or hair, or after handling dirty
+ Thick hamburger patties are utensils, dishes, or other non-food
more likely to be undercooked, ttems. All of these can be sources
particularly if they have been °* hactena.
made ahead, frozen, and cooked + Bacteria grow rapidly
without thawing. between 40 F and 140 F. Do not
+ Frozen ground beef should be hold raw or cooked meats in this
thawed before cooking to ensure temperature range for longer than
that it cooks completely. lwo h°ar,S
-+ Defrost ground beef (and all + Refrigerate cooked meat after
meats and poultry) in the refriger- serving. Divide into small por
ator to prevent growth of bacteria. Uons ij l3l w ' d cool quickly.
Allow approximately 24 hours to + . r more information on
thaw a 1 to 1-14 inch thick pack- keeping food safe to eat, contact
age. Ground beef that is thawed in Penn State Cooperative Exten
the microwave oven should be slon ’ South Fourth Street,
cooked immediately after Towanda, PA 18848, phone (717)
thawing. 265-2896, and ask for, A Quick
+To avoid contaminating other Consumer Guide To Food Safety.
medicaid or AFDC support should
not avoid filing in fear that then
other support is in jeopardy.
If a family does qualify for the
credit and receives a refund, the
members should think carefully
about the use of that money.
Thoughtful planning will multiply
the value of the refund. For in
stance, applying the refund to out
standing credit card bills will save
significant amounts. Today, some
credit card companies are charg
ing between 16 and 20% on the
balance owed. When savings are
earning as little as 3% in savings
accounts, paying off a bill that is
charging 20% interest is an excel
lent investment.
Some families may choose to
use the refund to pay for much
needed medical insurance for their
members if an employer or asso
ciation does not provide coverage.
This is another wise use of the
funds.
More than 14 million families
now qualify for this credit. Is your
family one of them? Don’t delay.
Fill out the EIC schedule and file
it with your return this week. Even
those families not eligible for the
EIC, should definitely file a tax re
turn. The IRS estimates that be
tween 5 and 6 million people do
not file income tax returns —45%
of whom are eligible for refunds!
LEOLA TIRE SERVICE, INC.
717-656-2574
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 27, 1993*85
258 W. MAIN ST.. LEOLA, PA