Q. What do you do if you owe money to the Internal Revenue Service and are without a job? Can you set up some sort of payment plan? - M.J.

A. You have a number of options to settle any money owed to the IRS.

Your best option is to call the agency’s toll-free number (800-829-1040) or to go to a local office and try to set up an installment agreement, said Mark Hanson, a spokesman for the IRS in North Carolina.

“The IRS will help taxpayers figure out what payment plan will be appropriate for them,” Hanson said.

You can also fill out an Online Payment Plan application online at http://www.irs.gov/individuals. There may be fees associated with this application.
The IRS also has a statement about the OPA, which says:

“Individuals who owe $25,000 or less in combined tax, penalties, and interest can use the OPA application to request a payment agreement. This application will allow you or your authorized representative; such as a Power of Attorney; to self qualify, apply for an installment agreement, and receive immediate notification of approval. There may be times when you will need to mail in paperwork or speak with us before we can determine your eligibility for an installment agreement.”

Finally, the agency offers another option for individuals who may be unable to pay taxes, called an Offer in Compromise. But Hanson said that taxpayers should research all of their options before committing to any plan.

An Offer in Compromise may have fees associated with it, and it is possible that your proposal could be rejected.

Hanson said that the worst thing that anyone can do is to ignore the problem, or not respond to the IRS if you receive a letter in the mail.

We advise opening anything you receive from the agency this year. It could be a check.

Q. I want to get a copy of Barbara Walters’ recent documentary of Britain’s Royal Family. How can I do that? - F.H.
A. ABC broadcast The Royal Family on March 3.

Barbara Walters anchored the special that documented a year in the life of Britain’s royal family behind the palace walls. The show is not available on DVD or VHS at this time, but ABC is working on getting the necessary permissions and clearances to release it.

You may view and order programs that appear on ABC from a list available at http://www.abcnewsstore.com or you may contact ABCNews Store at (800) 505-6139 to order by phone.

We called to verify the documentary’s availability and was placed on a list of customers eagerly awaiting the documentary’s release to the public.

Q. I noticed that a Democratic presidential candidate needs more than 2,000 delegates to be nominated, while a Republican nominee needs a little more than 1,000. Why is there a significant difference? Does this mean a larger percentage of the populace is speaking for the Democrats? - R.T.
A. The main reason that there are more Democratic delegates than Republican delegates is party preference. Because there are no laws that govern delegate numbers, each party can set its own rules as to how delegates are selected, just as each state has its own process in holding a primary.

This does not mean that the Democrats have more power; it just means that more people are involved in the process.

There are currently 4,049 total Democratic delegates, and 3,253 are “pledged” and elected at the state and local levels. About 800 of the total delegates are designated as “superdelegates,” which are the party leaders, office holders and even former presidents.

The Republican Party has 2,380 total delegates, 1,719 of which are considered “pledged” and elected at the state and local levels.

“In our state, each of the 13 congressional districts elects three delegates for a total of 39. At the state convention, an additional 27 delegates are chosen, while three more delegates are assigned to the state chairperson, a national committeeman and a national committeewoman,” said Brent Woodcox, a spokesman for the N.C. Republican Party.

“In total, North Carolina contributes 69 delegates to the Republican National Convention, 66 of which are elected,” Woodcox said.

“Those 69 delegates will be distributed to the four candidates listed on the ballot for the state Republican primary: John McCain, Alan Keyes, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul.”

The N.C. Democratic Party is also assembling delegates for its convention. Some precincts had organization meetings across the state on Tuesday to select delegates while other precinct meeting will be today.

“We have 134 delegates, and, out of those, 19 are “superdelegates,” said Kerra Bolton, a spokeswoman for the state Democratic Party.” Out of those 19, two are to be elected at the Democratic State Convention in June.”

Anyone who is interested in the delegate process can visit http://www.ncdp.org or http://www.ncgop.org/home.

Q. If I wish to vote as an Independent in the primary elections, what is the process? - D.B.
A. Primaries are different in every state, but in North Carolina you can be registered to vote in the primary election as either a Democrat or Republican.

You can also choose to be an “Unaffiliated” voter. There is no Independent Party ballot in the state.

If you show up to vote May 6 and are registered as a Democrat or Republican in North Carolina, you will receive the ballot of the party with which you are registered, said Rob Coffman, the director of Forsyth County Board of Elections.

If you are an unaffiliated voter, you can choose the Republican or Democratic ticket or a nonpartisan ballot, which includes only judicial races and any ballot proposals.

The Libertarian Party lost its ability to have a registered voter designate them as an affiliated party a couple of years ago. Third-party candidates, such as those who represent the Green and Libertarian parties, are scheduled to appear on the general-election ballot in November.

Brian Irving, a spokesperson for the Libertarian Party of North Carolina, said that Libertarians still have work to do to get certified for the general election.

The party needs about 3,000 signatures to reach the 70,000 signatures required by state to have its candidates listed on the ballot, he said.

The Libertarians will have their state convention in Burlington in April. During the convention, the candidates who will run for office will be nominated.

If you want to change your party affiliation for the May 6 primary, you must do so by April 11.

You can do this by submitting a new voter-registration card to the Board of Elections.

Changing parties requires a signature. You can view all the requirements in the County Voters Guide found at http://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/documents/voterguid e2008.pdf.

Q. Could you please list the days to cut wild onions to keep them from coming back? - E.I.
A. Ah, the signs of spring - the birds are chirping, the trees are budding, and readers are wondering when to mow wild onions. For years, this has been one of our most-asked questions. Several readers have written recently to ask for the information again.

Scientists dispute it, but many readers say that mowing onions (and other weeds) when the moon is in the proper astrological signs will keep them from coming back. The proper astrological signs are the barren signs of Leo, Gemini and Virgo, with Leo being the best. It is generally considered that the hotter the day, the better.

Blum’s Farmer’s and Planter’s Almanac says that the best days to destroy weeds this month are March 19, March 20, March 21 and March 22. Those dates cover all three signs.

The Leo days - the very best for getting rid of wild onions - are March 19-20. Next month, the Leo days are April 15-16. In May, the moon will be in Leo from May 12-14.

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