February 6, 1985

The already attractive features of Individual Retirement Accounts and the Keogh retirement plans for self- employed workers have been enhanced this year. For Americans putting money aside for their retirement, the changes will provide opportunities for even bigger tax deductions on 1984 returns. Taxpayers will find that custodial fees charged by financial institutions to manage I.R.A. and Keogh plans are now eligible for a tax deduction. And self-employed workers will find the contribution limits on Keogh plans have been sharply increased.

In an optimistic assessment of the economy's performance over the last four years, President Reagan urged Congress today to press on with his goals of less government and sustained growth by enacting his new budget and continuing the programs he began in his first term. In the President's annual Economic Report, presented to Congress today, Mr. Reagan wrote, ''With conviction in our principles, with patience and hard work, we restored the economy to a a condition of healthy growth without substantial inflation.'' The document devoted special attention to the economic status of the elderly, noting that largely because of increases in Social Security benefits couples who are 65 and older are, on average, more financially secure than the rest of the population. ''Several significant problems remain to be addressed,'' the President said, and he singled out the Federal Reserve Board, which he faulted as having contributed to the severity of the 1981-82 recession and the recent slowdown in the economy.

As buyers continue to switch to larger and more expensive cars, the auto makers are turning to a variety of incentives to promote slower-selling small models. Since the first of the year, they have introduced incentives ranging from cut-rate financing to optional equipment thrown in at no extra charge. There are also incentives for light pickup trucks, where the market is competitive and the companies are fighting to maintain market share.

A report in the Company News column of Business Day yesterday misstated the price of a mortgage banking unit being sold by Wells Fargo & Company. It is $108 million.

IN principle, hearty dishes call for hearty wines. Paired with a braised beef or a lamb stew, an older Bordeaux can easily lose its nuances, while some of the lighter Burgundies will lose their taste altogether, so overwhelming is the one-pot meal. What is needed, then, are wines that are assertive and uncomplicated. To answer this need, Americans could choose among any number of California wines, New York wines, Spanish wines or Italian wines. The dishes offered here, however, are essentially French. Let the wines, then, be French, too.