Q&A Friday #2

Question One:
I'm filing my taxes last-minute this year, and I've heard about some problems with commercial tax return preparation. Is it true that there have been problems with some of the preparers? Would I be protected from the consequences of any errors they might make or would the IRS come after me?

Thomas
Freehold

Dear Thomas,

The Government Accountability Office recently did a study in which hypothetical tax returns were submitted to commercial tax preparers to see how they performed. Unfortunately the watchdog agency found multiple problems, including failure to itemize deductions, claiming ineligible chidren for the Earned Income Tax Credit, and failure to report business income, among other things.

It's important to note that if there are any errors on the return you submit, whether you prepare it yourself, or have someone else do it, the IRS will hold you accountable.

So while it may save you some time and frustration (especially when you only have a couple days left!) to pay someone to prepare your return, please make sure you work with someone you trust. And no matter how confident you are, always look closely at your return before it's submitted.


Question Two:

I'd like to ask Assemblyman Panter what's being done on disaster preparedness planning that includes pets, companion animals, service animals, and the myriad other creatures that live with us here in NJ. Neither the state emergency preparedness flyer nor any of the state's ads in newspapers ever mention anything about making plans to provide for or evacuate animals, and this is a serious mistake; we saw just how serious in the wake of Hurricane Katrina when people chose to die rather than leave their animals behind.

This is a vital concern to me, since I do have plans to take my dog with me if anything should happen -- but if the state has not made preparations I will stay with her rather than abandon her.

Is legislation proposed or underway to provide for emergency planning for animals? If not, why not, and how can we change that?

Marlene
Oceanport

Dear Marlene,

I'm glad you asked about this, because I haven't had a chance yet to speak publicly about my sponsorship of Assembly bill 1929, which addresses your concern.

Like most animal lovers, I found it heartbreaking to hear the stories of families in the Gulf region who were forced to leave their beloved pets behind in addition to all of the other loss they experienced. My Assembly colleague, John Burzicelli, introduced A-1929, which would require the State Office of Emergency Management and the counties and municipalities to include in their respective emergency operations plans provisions to support the needs of individuals with a household pet or service animal in a major disaster or emergency.

It's true that emergency operations plans in New Jersey currently do not include household pets and service animals. Assemblyman Burzicelli believed that providing for household pets and service animals would both encourage individuals to evacuate when required and would spare residents the heartache of unnecessarily losing a pet or service animal during a crisis.

I agree with Assemblyman Burzicelli, which is why I joined him and eight other colleagues from both parties in sponsoring A-1929, which passed the Assembly in mid March. An identical bill (S-1681) is pending hearing in two committees in the Senate. I will continue to encourage my colleagues in the other house to help move this bill forward so it can be signed into law.

Answers Coming This Friday

Just a reminder that the second installment of Q&A Fridays will be out this Friday. There is plenty of time left to get your questions in, so please send them to me at AsmPanter@njleg.org with your name and contact info. I won't give out any personal information, just identify you by your name and hometown. Please be sure to include "Q&A" in your subject line so I know you want to be included.