Coin Machine Review (& Pacific ...)

Issue: 1946 March

Accurate Records, Expert Advice
Assure Correct Incolne Tax Return
April 15 is the deadline for filing in-
come tax estimates for the year 1946_ It
is at this time that many operators sud-
denly become aware of the necessity for
keeping accurate records and books so
that the tax forms can be prepared ac-
curately and intelligently_
At least one group of operators, those
in the vicinity of Los Angeles, has found
a cure for income tax headaches_ For the
income tax worries of this group have
been considerably lightened by the expert
advice and service rendered by the Asso-
ciated Operators of Los Angeles County,
Inc_ Almost ten years ago, the association
retained the services of Albert E. Sun-
shine & Coo, tax consultants and account-
ants, for advice on tax matters_ Two not-
able developments of this service have
been a series of letters to membcrs with
information 'a bout new income tax regula-
tions and clarification of various questions
regarding deductible expenses, and a sys-
tem of specially designed index cards and
files for record-keeping_
Available to members at all times for
expert advice on tax matters, the associa-
tion has been instrumental in obtaining
rulings from the Federal Bureau of In-
ternal Hevenue on misunderstood l'egula-
tions and has saved members thousands
of tax dollars that would have been paid
through erroneous interpretations of tax
provisions.
One of the major reasons for over-
payment of taxes is failure to make a
sufficient allowance for deductible expenses.
As a guide to the taxpayer, the AOLAC
lists the following expenses, all of which
are deductible in calculating the tax pay-
ment.
UST OF DEDUCTIBLE EXPENSES
Depreciation
a. Operating equipment-games, phonos,
etc_
b. Furniture and fixtures
c. Auto and delivery equipment
d. Tools
Repairs, Parts and Supplies
a. Outside labor and service charges
Records-phonograph
Association dues
Salaries
Supplies
Commissions
Auto Expense
Dues and Subscriptions
Donations
Insurance
a. Compensation Insurance
b. General Insurance
Rent
Small and perishable tools
Heat and light
Traveling expenses
Storage and hauling
Miscellaneous expenses
Interest cost
Cash shortage
Extraneous expenses and losses-such as
theft or vandalism of machine
With regard to the first item listed
above, equipment may be depreciated 100
per cent in one year. Some operators have
been known to take only a small percent-
age of depreciation over a period of as
much as ten years. In the case of machines
normally traded in within less time, the
extension of depreciation over such a
period results in excess payment of taxes.
One hundred per cent depreciation of
equipment in one year is advisable if
machines are frequently traded in and have
lost their playing appeal.
It should be noted that where there is
a recurring trade-in, or where the article
is traded in within the year of purchase,
the law permits a charge-off of equipment
at time of purchase-provided the equip-
ment traded in is similar to that obtained_
Entertainment, goodwill and promotion
are allowable expenses within reason. Many
operators underestimate these expenses. Op-
era tors servIcmg a machine at a location
have different goodwill expenses. This defi-
nitely comes under the heading of good-
will and promotion. Such expenses amount
to a considerable sum over the period of
a year, and should be included in the tax
return.
Some operators make a number of tele-
phone calls daily while traveling over their
routes. A systematic record of these calls
will show a surprising total, which should
be listed at income tax time as a deduct-
ible expense.
The Associated Operators of Los Angeles
County, Inc., in association with Albert E.
Sunshine & Co., has devised and also has
available for members a looseleaf, pocket-
size "Expense and Tax Record" booklet
(printed by Nascon Products, Inc., New
York 17, N.Y.) designed principally for
operators who travel out of town. This
lists such daily, often-overlooked expenses
as meals, rent, tips, laundry, fares, postage,
telegrams, telephone calls, entertainment,
and automobile. The booklet also may be
kept to advantage by operators of routes
in one town.
Expense accounts often are incorrectly
computed and deductions erroneously made.
A new regulation covering expense ac-
counts recently was issued by the Bureau
of Internal Revenue. The regulation pro-
vides that flat expense accounts-that is,
a definite sum of money advanced regu-
larly to employees from which expenses
are to be met-must be reported by the
COIN
employer on Internal Revenue Form 1099,
"Individual Income Tax Return," Where MACHINE
employees at irregular intervals submit
REVIEW
itemized expenses to employers for reim-
bursement, such expenses do not have to be
reported to the government_
Employers were required to file with the
TURN PAGE
FOR
lS
AL.BERT E. SUNSHINE

A~vertising
Entertainment; goodwill and promotion
Professional Services-legal and auditing
Stationery and supplies
Telephone
a. Exchange
b. Office
c. Telephones on locations
Federal Old Age Benefit
Unemployment Insurance
Taxes
a. Federal Excise Tax
b. Personal Property taxes
c. County licenses
d. Cities and towns licenses and permits
e. Miscellaneous taxes

Reproduced at the right are two special
file cards developed especially to facilitate
bookkeeping procedure for operators and to
make tax return computing easier.
ALBERT E
SUNSHINE
MARCH
7946
COLUMBIA BELLS
NEW-.MPROVED-J946 MODELS
IMMEDIATE DELIVERY
Fresh off the production lines - featuring an array of new
mechanical improvements - comes the famous COLUMBIA
TWIN JACKPOT BELL!
These new, improved 1946 models in dazzling, durable
Hammerloid finish are changeable right on location to
1-S-1O-2Sc play ; hence, you get the service of four
machines for the price of one ... plus double slug protection!
COLUMBIA makes more money f-a-s-t-e-r-costs less
money to own.
OPERATOR'S PRICE
5132 50 FOB
Chicago, III.
COIN
MACHINE
II"'EW
16
FOil
MARCH
7946
All orders must be accompanied by a one-third deposit,
postal money order or certified check, balance C.O.D.
GROETCHEN TOOL COMPANY
RANdolph 2807
126 N. Union Ave., Chicago, III.
government by February 1, 1946, their
"Income Tax Returns on Withholding Re-
ceipts," Form W-2. For the calendar year
1945 and thereafter, payments to employees
amounting to $500.00 or more must be
reported, whether or not all of such pay-
ment constitutes taxable income. For ex-
ample, if the total payment to an employee
for the year 1945 amounted to $800.00
and $600.00 thereof representeu wages
subject to withholding and the remaining
$200.00 represented compensation not sub-
ject to withholding-such as regularly paid,
flat expense accounts-the $600.00 should
have been reported on Form W·2 and the
$200.00 on Form 1099. If, however, that
$200.00 represented reimbursements made
to the employee at irregular periods, the
employer is not required to show the
amount on Form W-2, nor is tax payable
on the amount.
Here is another important point that will
apply to many operators and result in con-
siderable savings in income tax. Many
operators have considered profit as regular
income, which takes a higher tax. However,
the profit from the sale of a business or
part of a business, route, location or ma-
chine is to be considered as "Capital
Gain."
If any such items are held for more
than six months, then only 50 per cent of
said gain or profit is held subject to in-
come tax. Under any condition, the tax
cannot amount to more than 25 per cent.
If the operator wishes to take advantage
of the capital gain provision, he should
ear·mark the equipment on his records at
time of purchase. When such equipment
is sold, he will show such information on
Schedule D (Form 1040). The equipment,
location or business must be more than
six months old. The information required
on Schedule D for each item is: kind of
property; date acquired; date sold; gross
sales price; cost or other basis; expense
of sale and cost of improvements subse-
auent to acquisi tion; depreciation allowed,
or allowable; I!ain or loss. With this infor-
mation marked on records, it is a relatively
.imple matter to transfer it to Schedule
D and figure at the time of tax computa-
tion the gain or loss to be taken into
account.
It was found several vears ago that many
"nerators wen" paying excessive taxes large-
ly because of incomplete and faulty rec-
ords. The two 8" x 5" index cards repro-
duced on page 15 were designed to cor-
rect this condition. So ~"rcessfu]1v have
thev bepn u~ed that the Associatf'd Oper-
ator~ of Los Angeles County, Inc. will
gladly explain the system to other opera·
t"rs' Bsso(';atiClns thro,,'!hout the f'''untrv.
More rletailpd information can b p obtained
from Sunshine & Co. One set of f'~Tds i.
(Clr infnrmatinn ref'ardin'! each piece of
e".,!ipment, while the othpr provides for
all necessary information for equipment on
location.
The cards have hinges so that they can
be locked in Aat, steel trAYS which in turn
"rp filpd in rahinet. holdin,! from 525 to
975 cards. The cards can be nnickly lo-
cated and drawn from the c~binet, and
nostinp'S can be made without removing
the index cards from the tray. For smaller
nperators there are several types of book
fnrm Ternrd holder~ with rapacity of from
flO to ]20 cards. The cabinets are manu·
f"rlured by Yawman and Erbe Manufac-
turing Co. and may be purchased at reas-
onable prices through the Associated Oper-
ators of Los Angeles County, Inc., 1351
W. Washington Blvd., Los Angeles.
Right now is an excellent time for oper-
ators to resolve that next year their in·
come tax worries will be reduced to a
mInImum. In view of the complicated
income tax regulations that are being
issued daily, the first step toward that
objective is to retain an accountant expe·
rienced in the coin machine industry who
can advise operators as a group on tax
matters. The second slep is the establish-
ment of an accurate and complete record
of each piece of equipment.
Operators throughout the country will
save many thousands of dollars in the
corning year by taking this advice to heart
and doing something about it now.
(A subsequent issue 0/ TilE REVIEW
will carry a discussion 0/ the buyer's and
seller's problem 0/ goodwill and deprecia-
tion 0/ equipment, and capital gains and
losses arising from purchase and sale 0/
complete routes.-Ed.)
Prolific Designer
CHICAGO-Nearly all the famous N~
York designers have de,signed a coin-op-
erated vending machine ' or two. Among
them are Norman Bel Geddes, Raymond
Loewy, and John Vassos. But the most pro-
lific coin-operated machine designer of
them all is to be found right here in Chi-
cago, the center of coin machine manufac-
turing. He is Everett Eckland, of Mangan
& Eckland, who has designed over 350 auto-
matic venders. His partner, Jim Mangan,
estimates that Eckland designed coin-oper-
ated machines have taken in at least $20,-
000,000,000.00 (twenty billion) over two
decades of operation.
Meter Inventor Dies
NEW YORK-Carl Magee, inventor of
the parking meter, died recently in Okla-
homa City after a long illness, Magee,
also a newspaperman and lawyer, was 73
years of age.

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