Show — trying to sell here in Gunnison" said Stout “people do not use their box numbers very well" The first machine mail goes from (Continued Page 1) through is an Optical Character Reader costs is through automation A ma- - curacy rate commented Stout (OCR) These machines have every chine can sort 35000 pieces of mail address It’s important to use box numbers million of them) in the an hour at a 99 percent accuracy rate when addressing mail If the numbers United States in their memory “The and can work 22 hours a day “We ask aren’t used the mail has to be sorted machine has a hard time reading our human clerks for 97 percent ac- - by hand “That’s something we’re still script" said Stout “We're working on software to be able to read about ninety percent of the mail” The maThe five categories of mail: chine reads the street and citystatc 1 lines of the address and then places a Express: Overnight mail with beginning costs at $1075 bar code on the readable letters 2 Priority: Expedited first class mail It will arrive in days The bar code is similar to the code costs $300 for the first three pounds machines the grocery store t 3 First Class: Commonly what you call correspondence or read Every address has its own eleven letter class mail It costs 32 cents for the first ounce 23 cents for digit code The first five digits of the the next nine ounces and up from there code for someone living in Gunnison is 84634 the next four digits are the 4 Periodicals: Newspapers and magazines are given a discount box number for example 0681 “We for help in mail encouraged people to use the fiv e plus 5 Standard Mail: Catalogues technical magazines There used four but it didn't lake very long for to be third and fourth class mail but they were combined to the us to find out we re lucky to get the standard category Mail sent this way is not automatically forfive" he explained “Wc developed the software to do it (add the four)” warded thus the senders arc given a discount The next machine the mail goes to is the Bar Code Sorter (BCS) The machine reads the bar codes that have been put on the letters and sequences them by the delivery point "A carrier can pick up a tray put it in his jeep and deliver it” said Stout Utility companies have begun to print their Thinking that maybe you missed your chance to trim this year's tax bill? own bar codes on the payment enves not too late to minimize the impact of taxes on your investStay calm--lopes to enable the letters to bypass ment portfolio Following arc several strategics you can still the first step in sorting work on this year Of course we recommend that you first review these ideas One question many people in the with a tax professional before taking any action valley have is "Why don't we have home delivery of the mail?" Stout anDefer and Offset Capital Gains “ Take investment losses to offset gains If you realize capital gains in swered Wc don't qualify There has 1996 you may offset those gains by selling stock or other securities at a loss to be 750 delivery stops to qualify for any kind of home delivery” Both r gains can be offset by either Gunnison is approaching 650 now capital losses without limits He continued “That 's one of the 2 Use excess capital losses against ordinary income If capital losses disadvantages of having so many post exceed gains you may deduct the excess losses dollar for dollar against ordioffices so close together (Gunnison nary income up to $3000 ($1500 if married and filing separately) Any Ccntcrficld Mayfield Axtcll) We undeducted losses can be carried over to 1997 stay smaller that way There’s more 3 If appropriate wait for assets than enough people in tins area to have capital gains There arc towns home delivery” are assets held for longer than one year Net capital gains (the exsuch as Monroe smaller than cess of capital gains over net capital losses) are taxed at Gunnison that have rural route delivNet a minimum of 28 as be taxed can as capital gains high ery because the post office that sen es 396 them is Richfield 4 “Swap” securities to take losses in 1996 and enhance your portfolio Stout pointed out that some prein 1997 You may swap securities by selling an investment at a loss and buyfer getting the mail at the post office ing another investment with similar but not “substantially identical" characHe told of a petition in the 40’s to beteristics You’d then receive the tax benefits of the loss in the year in which gin home delivery The town ciders you sell the security You also enhance your portfolio by purchasing a new fought the idea saying that the post investment that may be better suited to current market conditions or if you office was their social life Accordwish to maintain your investment in the same security you can buy it back ing to Stout they said “We don’t want However take care to avoid what tax rules call a “wash sale” defined as the this place to be citified wc want to keep it rural” sale and repurchase of the same investment within 30 days How long docs a letter take to 5 Deduct eligible interest expense Remember if you have incurred reach its destination? “In theory wc interest expense on loans used to finance investments other than municipal try to get a first class letter any where bonds that interest expense is deductible up to the amount of your net investin the United States in three days” said ment income for the year Stout “But we only do it per6 Sell investments w ith the highest cost basis first If you have cent of the time” For instance “If 99 shares of sell some and the same stock at different times your plan to percent of the people send their Christmas cards the same day we ll be you can minimize your capital gain by instructing your Financial Consultant to sell the shares with the highest cost basis first According to IRS regulaPost office workers like to hear tions if you do not provide specific instructions the shares you have held when mail has been delayed to help longest will be sold first them correct the problem One cause 7 Postpone income or gains If your investments have done exceptionof delays is insufficient postage “Wc usual ally well this year and you expect to find yourself in a don’t mind putting mail on the scale federal lax bracket— say 36 or even pushing income and for you if there is any question" said gains to 997 Your financial consultant can recommend strategies that w ill Stout “It's a heck of a lot easier than help accomplish this processing postage due" 8 Fund your IRA—the sooner the better You can find your IRA for The goal is to clear all first class 1996 up to April 15 1997 but the sooner you do the sooner you can take mail the day it arrives “We re alway s compounding The maximum contri- struggling to get the mail out” Stout advantage of the power of commented Being postmaster is a lot bution for an individual IRA is $2000 Thanks to recent changes in tax legiswork “It's a big responsibility” he lation for 1997 if you have a spouse you may contribute up to of said “We’re a typical government $4000 to two separate IRA’s with no more than $2000 going to either (the with lots of manuals and agency spouse was $250) previous contribution limit for a You're books and do's and don't' s 9 Invest the maximum in qualified plans Ifyour kind of in a squeezed box" w hich qualified plan to employer offers a 40 K or an alternative Still the job “can be quite rewardyou can contribute take full advantage— in 1996 you can contribute up to ing” muses Stout 15 of your salary to a maximum of $9500 Mailroom— US A tax planning checklist: Last minute stategies for 1996 (Continued from Page December 4 Gunnison Valley News Growth — 996 Page 1) bon Duchesne Millard Wayne and Daggett counties reported no change in population over 1994 estimates Employ ment and Wages Employment growth was reported in every region in the state The Southwest district again lead the way with a 98 percent jump in nonagricultural employ ment w hilc the Mountainland district reported a 62 percent increase The Wasatch front (55 percent) Central (46 percent) and Bear River (42 percent) districts also reported significant employment increases The smallest rate of growth was reported in Uintah Basin district at 28 percent while employment in the Southeast district grew 31 percent Nonagricultural pay rolls continued to expand in 1995 Nonagricultural payrolls rose 144 percent in the Southwest district followed by a 13 9 percent increase in the Mountainland district and 9 percent in the Wasatch Front district All olhcrdistricts showed wages increasing at rates between 30 and 60 percent The highest rate of grow th in employment occurred in Way nc County ith employ ment increasing 76 percent followed by Morgan (14 4 percent) and Washington (108 percent) counties Iron Beaver Summit and Wasatch counties showed employ incut growth in excess of 80 percent Sanpete County grew by 67 percent and Sevier County grew at 46 percent Only Daggett County reported a 44pcrccnt decrease in nonagricultural due primarily to cutemployment backs in federal spending and the slow recov ery of extraction industries Employment grew the least in those counties heavily affected by in federal programs defense reductions or closures or reliant on mi ncral extraction industries Income Total personal income rose 85 perdiscent in 1995 All tricts reported an increase in total personal income The Southwest district again showed the greatest improvement (177 percent) followed by a 131 percent gain int he Mountainland district The slowest growth was ported in the Uintah Basin district (15 percent) Total personal incomejuinped more than 20 percent in Washington County while Summit (182 percent) and Morgan (178 percent) counties also reported significant increases Sanpete's total increased 139 percent while Sevier County grew by only 4 5 DARE role models High school students (I to r) Gerick Wilden Lisa Pickett and Rudy Christensen recently talked to Gunnison 5th graders as part of the DARE Program The high school students were DARE Peers or role models and shared their experiences and answered questions The PTA sponsored program and is taught by officer Roger Peterson This year's course has just been completed by the Gunnison Elementary 5th Grade Classes percent Four counties Tooele 5 percent) Empercent) Millard percent) andDuehesne(- - 9 percent) showed decreases in total personal income Per capita income in Utah rose to $18233 in 1995 a 6 percent crease over 1994 figuies Per capita income increased more than 10 percent in Morgan Washington Sanpete Kane Garfield and Wasatch counties Duchesne Box Elder Piute Juab and San Juan counties reported slightly lower per capita incomes The total per capita incomcm Sanpete County was $13100 in 1994 compared to $11742 in 1994 and $1 206 in 992 This means a household of four would have an average income of $52400 In Sevier County the total per capita income was $14300 in 1995 This compares ith $1 3993 m 1994 and $12818 in 1992 This means a household of four would have $5720 Summit County residents had the highest per capita income in Utah at $289( )0 The low esl per capi (a income was in San Juan County at $10400 with Piute County only slightly highei at $1 1200 Construction Construction activ ily continued to expand in 1995 A total of 21558 Cio ery new dwelling units and increase of percent were authorized during the year the most since 1978 Sevier County reported 149 new dwelling units in 1995 down one from 1994 Sanpete reported 360 new units up from 1994s 183 The Central Southeast and Mountainland districts showed declines in nonrcsidcntial valuation in 1995 Miscellaneous The “Pay 9 2 provides compensating payments to local units of government for loss of tax rev cniic from federally ow ned land These payments decreased 17 percent in 1995 Summary Since 1990 Utah's economy has seen steady and sometimes dramatic as that experienced in 1994 and 1995 A growing population with high lev lion strong job creation and rising wages and incomes kept Utah'scconomy strong Growth was widespread among Utah's counties but was strongest in the Southw cst corner of the state The Mountainland Wasatch Central Front and Bear River districts also experienced healthy rates of increase for most of the indicators Christmas is a time of good news Send the good news all year long with a gift subscription to the m A£pLj®jj JEJST IEW8 a mi AT THE CENTER WILL BEIIHLD In Richfield We will send them a card telling of your gift! WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 11 FROM 1 - 7 EM m UtaSiStets UNI VIRIITV In Study: Elementary Ed Psychology rfyl PWJ - $1800 for 1 year In Utah -- - $24 for 1 year In Nation -- - $28 for 1 year t SOUTHERN UTAH UNIVERSITY County Send Computers in this coupon or call 1 to place your order by phone iiBtiuniiffrrrnninmiiiiiiiBB'iuBiiiiimini'mi News Gift Gunnison Criminology Valley Subscription! To: STES wraraa Accounting Business Administration Adress: J And More! CALL NOW FOR APPOINTMENTS OR FOR MORE INFORMATION! 896-635- 4 City: State: Zip: From Adress: State: Zip: Send Check or money order to: Gunnison Valley News PO Box 189 Gunnison City: t T - UT 84634 |