Question: Where are the general excise tax booklets?
Answer: The mailing of GE booklets to taxpayers who had specifically requested to continue receiving them from the state Department of Taxation was delayed until mid-February, said Deborah Kwan, a DOTAX spokeswoman. You and others who had requested booklets might not receive them before the Feb. 20 GE tax filing deadline, she said.
Anyone who needs a booklet should download it from tax.hawaii.gov/forms, she said. You can also file GE taxes online at hitax. hawaii.gov, she said.
Q: Is it a scam if I get a friend request from the IRS?
A: Yes. “The IRS doesn’t initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information,” according to the Internal Revenue Service website, which describes such initial outreach as a telltale sign of a scam.
Q: You need to fix Monday’s column. You have the UH tuition way too high.
A: No, you have mistaken tuition for the cost of attendance; the latter is the figure we cited, and it includes more than tuition. As stated in that column, UH Manoa’s estimated undergraduate COA includes tuition (for 12 credits), fees, books, supplies, housing, meals and personal expenses. See the 2018-19 estimate at 808ne.ws/uhmcoa.
Q: The websites listed in Friday’s column don’t seem real. … Please print the correct address because I need that state ID form.
A: The printed web addresses were correct; they were simply shortened. You can click on a shortened address (if you are reading online) or type it into your browser exactly as published (if you are reading the print edition) to get to the website or digital document. Find the application for a state ID at 808ne.ws/hiidform and the document guide at 808ne.ws/docgde.
Aging in place
People interested in learning about how to adapt their homes for comfortable living as they age are welcome at a free seminar Saturday morning in Honolulu. The “Home for Life” workshop is sponsored by AARP Hawaii, but you don’t have to be a member to attend, according to a news release from the nonprofit organization.
The workshop will highlight simple, inexpensive modifications that homeowners can do themselves, such as changing light fixtures and cabinet handles, and also go over the planning and budgeting process for major remodeling programs. Attendees also will learn about new technology designed to assist kupuna and help them age in place.
The workshop is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon Saturday in the Manoa Grand Ballroom at the Japanese Cultural Center, 2454 S. Beretania St. Parking in the center is $6 with validation. Register online at aarp.cvent.com/home2-17 or by calling 877-926-8300.
Mahalo
A person came to the door, telling us that my father had tripped and fallen on the asphalt road. By the time my niece and I got to the scene, a group of people were seen standing around my father. One person got a chair for him; another person called 911; and another person provided the ice pack to his head. We were told that he was walking the dog when he got tangled in its leash, causing him to fall. His granddaughter subsequently took him to a hospital for services. Medical tests were conducted. Results showed no impairment. He will, however, be wearing a cast to his wrist/arm for about three weeks. Our family is forever grateful for those who helped my father. This was a true ohana with people coming together to help someone. Thank you. — Lesley Stamm, Kaneohe
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
