The Clinton chronicle. (Clinton, S.C.) 1901-current, January 28, 1970, Image 12
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4-B—THE CHRONICLE, Clinton, S. C., Jan. 29, 1970
Minding Your Business'^
Medical
Expenses
BY JOHN J. SUTHERLAND
Certified Public Accountant
Generally, medical expenses
are limited to 3% of adjusted
gross income. This is the income
found on line 15c of the tax return
and for most taxpayers would be
the total salaries plus interest
and other income. This limi
tation, however, does not apply
to taxpayers 65 or older.
The following discussion is
very involved and highly techni
cal. It is the author’s opinion
that it will be easier to under
stand and more meaningful if you
follow Schedule A of the income
tax form as you read.
One^half of medical care in
surance premiums may be de
ducted without the 3% limitation.
However, this may not exceed
$150. The other half, or the ex
cess over $150, may be included
as medical expense discussed
below. The premium must be for
a policy which reimburses only
for medical care whether paid to
you or directly to the hospital.
If it is a combination policy such
as one providing life insurance
or payments for partial or total
disability, thepremium for medi
cal care must be stated separate
ly by the insurance company in
order to be deductible.
The cost of medicine and drugs
may be deducted insofar as they
exceed 1% of adjusted gross
income. The excess is added to
other medical expense. In addi
tion to medicine and insurance
premiums, other medical ex
pense may include these items:
doctors’ fees for treatment and
examination. This cannot, how
ever, include veterinarians’ fees
for pets. Hospital bills including
room and board if you are an
in-patient. Out-patients may in
clude only the actual hospitaliza
tion costs. You are allowed 5£
per mile for travel to and from
the doctor or hospital, whether
local or in a distant city. If,
however, you can prove that your
transportation costs are more
than this, you can deduct the
actual amount paid. You may also
deduct travel expenses incurred
while accompanying a sick child
or handicapped person to the doc
tor or hospital. In addition, if the
doctor advises you that it would
medically benefit the sick child
or handicapped person for you to
visit them during treatment, you
may deduct transportation costs
for doing so.
The doctor may prescribe spe
cial equipment as* part of the
treatment or to alleviate pain and
suffering. This special equipment
may take various forms such as
wheelchairs, special beds and
mattresses, reclining chairs, in
clined walkways, air-condition
ing units, special equipment in
automobiles, etc. This special
equipment may be deducted as a
medical expense insofar as it
does not increase the value of
your home or auto. As an ex
ample, an air-conditioning unit
prescribed by a doctor would add
some value to the home but it
may not add as much value as
the unit cost. The excess cost
over the added value may be de
ducted as a medical expense.
All of the above must be re
duced by any insurance reim
bursements collected during the
taxable year. Medical insurance
reimbursed must be added toad-
justed gross income in the year
it is collected to the extent that
it produced a tax benefit in a
previous year. Likewise, the pro
ceeds from the sale of special
equipment in subsequent years
must be added to adjusted gross
income in the year of sale in
sofar as its deduction produced
a tax benefit.
The author regrets that there
are other facets of this highly
complicated and technical section
which have not been dealt with in
this article. I have, however, at
tempted to highlight the pro
visions which would most com
monly be encountered.
Miss Plaxico
On Dean's List
Sharan Plaxico of Clinton has
been named to the first semester
Dean’s List at Columbia College.
A Sophomore, she is a daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Plaxico of
109 E. Walnut St., Clinton.
I"
Dear Sally
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Pbone 833-1121
200 N. Broad St.
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THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:
Christ, who changes not, gives us certainty in the midst of change
BY SALLY SHAW
DEAR SALLY: I’mengagedtoa
young man of 28 who has already
postponed our wedding three
times. . .because of his mother.
Despite the fact that she is a
wealthy widow, it still seems she
cannot get along without her little
boy. He says he cannot bear to
leave her when she goes into one
of her sobbing tantrums at the
mention of our marriage. He
claims that tiir° will cure her
and that “after all, it’s been only
two years since Dad died, and
Mom still misses him terribly,
and it would be cruel for me to
leave her now.”He also says he
loves me very much and hopes
I’ll be patient until things work
out for us. How “patient” must I
be? This so-called engagement of
ours is already more than two
years old! SHELVED.
DEAR SHELVED: I think you
have been more tham “patient”
enough with this 28-year-old
“little boy,” who apparently finds
it impossible to loosen himself
from his mother’s apron strings.
Have this out with him now, once
and for all. Tell him he MUST
make his choice now -- between
you and his mother. Confi
dentially, I think you should let
Mom have him!
DEAR SALLY: Do you see any
thing wrong with a 30-year-old
man falling in love with an marry
ing a girl who is three years older
than he is? Even though this love
ly and wonderful girl looks ten
years younger than she is, my
parents claim it’s all wrong for
any man to marry “an older wo
man.” HANK.
DEAR HANK: If you and this
girl love each other, that’s all
that counts. This is YOUR ro
mance, not your parents’. The
three-year age difference means
nothing.
DEAR SALLY: I’m engaged to a
fine young man who also is one of
the best-looking men I’ve ever
known. . .until he opens his mouth.
His teeth are horrible. . .dis
colored, crooked, decayed-look
ing. I love him so much and want
to be proud of him -- but I’m
embarrassed about his teeth when
we’re in company with others. Do
you think I should take the chance
of hurting his feelings by men
tioning this to him. . .or is this
none of my business? OKLA
HOMA.
DEAR OKLAHOMA: Indeed it IS
your business. After all, you are
the promised wife of this “fine
young man,” and it’s only nat
ural that you be concerned about
his appearance. Tell him what
you’ve told me -- that you want
to be proud of him, but that his
teeth are spoiling his otherwise
good looks. Implore him to visit
a dentist where modern techni
ques today are working wonders
for just such cases as his.
DEAR SALLY: Is it proper and
in good taste to give a bridal
shower for a girl who is already
married? One of our sorority
sisters eloped during the Christ
mas Holidays and completely dis
rupted our plans to give her a
pre-marital shower. ALPHA.
DEAR ALPHA: Certainly you
may give her a shower. These
parties are just as much fun,
and the gifts are just as welcome,
to a girl after she is married
as before.
DEAR SALLY: I am planning
to continue teaching school after
I’m married, because I do love
the work, and my fiance is in
perfect accord so far as this is
concerned. However, he has rais
ed a big storm because of my
suggestion that my income after
our marriage should be mine to
to do with as I wish, and that
as the nominal head of our house
hold it should be his entire re
sponsibility to defray all ourliv-
ing expenses. He’s perfectly
capable of doing this, but claims
that the “principle” of my sug
gestion is all wrong. What do
you think about this? SCHOOL
FOR THOUGHT.
DEAR SCHOOL FOR
THOUGHT: I’m with your fiance.
W’hen a man and woman decide
to share their lives together,
this should include their sharing
all their worldly possessions. . .
including their incomes.
MILK is a versatile food. You
can eat it as well as drink it --
in milk puddings and soups,
creamed dishes, as ice cream,
and as cheese. Dairy foods are
an economical source of good
nutrition for your family.
HOW CAN I?
IN REVIVAL — Rev.
Mameese Hampton, pas
tor of East Side Baptist
Church i n Blacksburg,
will be guest speaker in
revival services at Friend
ship Baptist Church Feb.
1-8. Services will begin
at 7:30 each week night
and at 7:00 p.m. on Sun
day. Special music will
be presented at each ser
vice.
Area Students
Complete Lander
Requirements
Evelyn Reddeck of Clinton and
Mary S. Workman of Cross Hill
completed degree requirements
at Lander College last week.
The fall semester at Lander
ended Jan. 21, and the spring
semester began Monday, Jan. 26.
Students who complete their
degree requirements by the end
of the first semester will re
ceive diplomas at regular
graduation exercises May 24.
Revis Named
To Dean's List
Covert Roland Revis ofChnton
was named to the dean’s list at
a special Scholarship Day pro
gram last Wednesday at North
Greenville Junior College.
The son of Mrs. Lena Mathis,
he was among 27 full time stu
dents who achieved a grade point
average of 3.5 or better, of a pos
sible 4.0 f>>r the semester. Twen
ty-three of the group have at
tained the average for their en
tire college careers and three
have a perfect 4.0 score.
BY ANNE ASHLEY
Q. How can I remove paint
stains from clothing?
A. Turpentine, mineral spirits,
kerosene, and ordinary cleaning
fluid are all good solvents for
these stains. None of these, how
ever, is reliable if you have al
lowed the stains to become stale.
For old paint stains, try com
bining equal parts of turpentine
or mineral spirits and finger
nail polish remover, and use this
as you would cleaning fluid.
Q. What is a good formula for
furniture polish?
A. One excellent one consists
of two parts of vinegar to one
part of olive oil. Put a small
amount of this on a soft cloth
and rub it into the wood. Brings
up a nice, fresh-looking gloss.
Q. How can I extricate a cork
that has dropped inside an empty
bottle?
A. Pour enough ammonia into
the bottle to float the cork and
leave it there for a few days.
Enough of the cork will then have
been eaten away to permit its
removal.
Q. Do you have any sugges
tions for making draperies or
curtains hang in any position
or fold desired?
A. Solid solder, in the form of
wire, can be cut to the proper
length and inserted into the bot
tom hems of your draperies or
curtains. Since this soft solder
wire bends and can be easily
molded, it will hold your drap
eries or curtains in whatever fold
or position suits your fancy.
Q. What is a good stiffening
ingredient, mstead of starch, to
use in delicate fabrics?
A. Some delicate fabrics won’t
take to the ususal starching me
thods. For these, use granulated
sugar dissolved in water, instead
of starch.
Q. How do I go about baking
a strawberry-rhubarb pie?
A. This is really just like ap
ple pie, except that you use three
cups of frozen rhubarb just
thawed, and three cups of sliced
fresh strawberries. Also 3/4 cup
granulated sugar, 1/8-teaspoon of
salt, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg,
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, four
tablespoons of flour, one tables-
p<x>n of butter.
Q. How can I deal with per
fume stains on my dressing table?
A. Apply cold cream as soon
as the perfume is spilled, then
wipe clean with facial tissues.
My new paperback household
manual deals with all kinds of
stains like these.
Q. How can I avoid any un
pleasant odors in my kitchen
drain?
A. If you’ll drop a handful of
baking soda into the sink over
night, it will purify and clean
that unfragrant drain.
Q. How can I improvise a
padding under my carpets?
A. With newspapers, several
layers of them, laid flat under
your rugs. These will do a good
job of saving wear on your car
peting, makes the carpets look
and feel better underfoot.
Phone Directory
Deadline Nears
The telephone directory clos
ing date for Clinton and Joanna
customers is almost here ac
cording to Bob Simmons, local
Telephone Comapny manager.
It’s time to take a second look
at your listing in the directory
to make sure it is correct and
as you want it to appear in the
new directory.
Simmons advises that if you
want to make a change in your
listing or add a new listing to
please call the Business office by
Feburary 12th which is the closing
date. Changes cannot be made af
ter this date since the book will
be in the process of beingprinted.
The new directory is scheduled
to come out on March 17th.
♦ ♦ *
Greenwood Mills
Featured In
DuPont Magazine
The January-February issue of
the duPont features the Green
wood Mills finishing plant, Fab
ric Services, Inc. ofOrangeburg,
is one of its articles.
The article, entitled “Enhanc
ing the Character of Quality,"
explains a new type of bleach
ing chemistry produced by du
Pont and used at the new Fabric
Services plant.
d&m'ceforYoi rfb<xflk
Kleenex Facial
Van Camp’s
PORE and BEANS
16-Oz. Cans
2 for 29c
Trellis Cream Style
GOLDEN CORN
No. 303 Cans
2 for 35c
Duncan Hines
CAKE MIXES
19-Oz. Box
39c
jDel Monte (Crushed or Sliced)
[PINEAPPLE
No. 1 Can
2 for 37c
Nabisco
MACAROON COOKIES
1-Lb. Pkg.
55c
Trinho
POTATOES
5-Lb. Bag
49c
*
*
*
*
*
*
♦
*
¥
Taste-O-Sea Frozen l-Lb. Pkg.
PERCH 49c
Fresh Ground Lb.
BEEF 59c
Dreher’s 12-Oz. Cup
SAUSAGE 63c
Kraft’s (American, Pimento, Swiss) 8-Oz. Pkg.
CHEESE 39c
Castleberry’s lOVfe-Oz. Can
HOT DOG CRIU 19c
Castleberry’s 24-Oz. Can
BEEF STEW ... 59c
PRICES EFFECTIVE JANUARY 29-30-31
vt ,1.
PHONE 8334)710
ON MILLS STORE - LYDIA MILLS STORE
FREE DELIVERY SERVICE
PHONE 83
S"i :v