WESTERN MICHIGAN
S
Safety & Health
Quick energy
th threat of
fruit,
,ire Escape
" If a firc had erupted in the last
tel y u tayed at, would y u have
own h w to et out? The ational
Safety Coun i I recommend taking
time t look at the fire e cape route
ted in y ur hotel room. Kn \
here the ncare t exit i and how to
get there quickl y - even if you arc
blinded by m ke. Count the num­
b r of doors from your room to the
nearest exit.
Chri ma arly or
und rpriviledg d young ter
By DANNY COOKS
Correspondent
Dougl Community Center was
th ite 0 a Pre-Chri tma Chri tma
celebrati n for underpriviledged
children Friday, December 13th.
More than fifty young ters from area
chool and the Gospel Mi ion en­
joyed a full-course meal, treats, and
a gift courte y of the Oddesa Nelson
Foundati n. The foundation plans to .
m ke the act of Christmas giving an
annu I event, according to Nellie
Hurtt, coordinator of the event. '
"We call it a foundation but it's
basically Oddesa Nelson and orne
of her friend who help her," Hurtt
explained. "For th pa t veral
years Nelon h been taking people
from nursing home and giving th m
Chri tmas dinner. Backin October
she fed 132 hornet people in Mar­
tin Luther King Park."
Asked to explain herout-of-pock­
et expense to help th unfortunate,
Nelon smiled. "God i good to us,"
he aid. "I feel like wh n the Lord
has ble ed us and you ec orne kid
have no food or helter, I feel I
hould reach out and help; it' in my
heart." later. he added: lilt's a
wonderful thing to do, not to depend
on government funding."
o
...
. .
UIWER YOIIIlUES OR __ YOUR RERJIIJ
Claim the Earned Income Credit and Child & Deper ��nt Care Cr do'
WIlD CIDIT
You are eligible for an Earned Income Credit of up to $2. ( . if YCJU have L 91
family earnings under $21,250 and have one or more "qt.:a1i,ying" childrer:. A
"qualifying" child is a child who:
• is your son, daughter, adopted child, grandchild, stepchild. I If foster child: and
• on December 31,1991, is under age 19, or under age 24 and full-tim student,
or any age and permanently and totally disabled; and
• lived with you for more than six months in 1991 (but if the child is your foster
child. he or she must have lived with you for the whole year).
Even if you don't owe taxes you may be eligible for a refund check simply by
claiming the credit. In general, the lower your income th larger y ur credit. If
you have two or more children, a child born in 1991, or health Insurance premium
expenses for a policy covering a child. your credit will al 0 be larger.
To claim the Earned Income Credit, you must file a separate form. called
"Schedule EIC:' with your tax return. If you fill out the fr nt . age "f Schedule
EIC and write OlEIC" on the Earned Income Credit line of y ur iax forrn. IRS will
figure your credit for you. .
...... _...aT CUE CIIDIT
You are eligible for a Child and Dependent Care Credit of up to S1.440 ;i you:
• have child care expenses for one or more children under a e 13 who live with
you; and
• pay for the care to enable you to work or look for work (if yilU are married,
. both you and your spouse must be working or looking for we rk, or one spouse
may be a full-time student, or unable to care for him or her elf).
Families of all incom levels are eligible. The higher your child care expen e
and the lower th am unt of your income, the larger your credit.
To take the Child and Dependent Care Credit, you must file a separate .. s :hedule"
or form with your tax return. With tax form 1040, file Form �441. Wit:' tax
form 1040A, file Sch dule 2. Include th amount of your cr d:: n the r edit for
Child and 0 pendent Care exp nses line of your tax form. -
fOIl MDII, RIIMITlON
For both the Earned 'Income Cr dit and the Child and -p ndent Care Cr dlt
special rules may apply in special cases. For more info rna ion, call l 00,
TAX·1040 toll free or contact your local Volunte r Ino in Tax Assi .ance
(VITA) clinic for free assistance.