People should be forbidden to have tax money taken out of their paychecks

[Specop 007]

I think the American public has become insensitive to taxes. Come tax time you hear about how people are looking forward to their return. They forget that throughout the year they've been paying taxes steadily. Its a shame when people look forward to tax time.
I think it should be forbidden to have taxes taken out as you go through the year. You should recieve all your earnings, then at the end of the year file your taxes.

If people started to have to write a check for 3, 4, 5 thousand or more dollars every April 15th they may pay a bit more attention to taxes and where the money was going. As it stands now taxes are considered a niusance, the deficit "just a number".

No more pay as you go with taxes I say.

 

[Savij]

So you forgot to pay your taxes on April 15th, eh?

 

[krunchykrome]

:thumbsup:

I agree, lending money for 0% interest is beyond me.

 

[kranky]

Your absolutely right that people would pay a lot more attention if they had to write a huge check every year for federal income tax, etc. That's exactly why they will never change it. The people who have the final say are the ones who don't want to stir up the public.

Have you ever known someone who believed that if they got a bigger refund than you, that they thought they were tax geniuses? That's how bad things have gotten. People have lost all touch with how the system even operates.

 

[BlancoNino]

Also, people don't realize how MUCH they pay in taxes either, state and federal. On average, I'd say you'd have to sacrifice 3-4 whole months worth of paychecks to cover your taxes each year....maybe more?

 

[Bateluer]

I agree with you, however it'd most likely lead to a lot of IRS indictments and people going to jail for not paying their taxes.

Sadly, a lot of people in this country don't understand how to save money.

 

[TheNinja]

I understand what you are saying. However most people are not smart enough to budget properly. They would just spend their money on all sorts of crap, then come time to pay taxes they would not have any money. Then more tax money would be required for the IRS to go after these people. I would just rather see a flat tax...You pay n% of what your earned, that's it.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Only problem is a little thing called "penalty on underpayment of taxes"

 

[darkamulets]

People dont' realize how much they pay. Let alone most people don't have the capacity to save money so to them a "Tax return" is like free money. Sadly in actuality it was a 0% interest loan you gave to someone for a year.

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

I'm not as picky about it, because in Alaska there are so few taxes. I don't pay a state tax; I don't pay a sales tax; My property taxes are cheap and I get money from the state each year on top of that, simply for living here. I actually keep most of my check.

And last year I got a refund of 2.78, so I figure I budgeted well enough.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

But if people paid their taxes like they pay any other bill they would start demanding fiscal responsibility of their representatives and *gasp* some would refuse to pay. Can't have that. /sarcasm

I think withholding is the most evil and sneaky idea ever perpetrated on the american peopleby their elected leaders. Everyone should have to pay on a quarterly basis like the self employed/business owners do. Want to see a tsunami of change roll through Washington? That'll do it.

 

[BlancoNino]

Alright, are people finally realizing just how much of your money the federal government takes? It used to get by with 2% of your income. Now, it's a fvcking mess, and there are actually people who think the federal government needs more.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: BlancoNino
Alright, are people finally realizing just how much of your money the federal government taxes? It used to get by with 2% of your taxes.

it used to get 0% of your income until 1916

 

[Specop 007]

Originally posted by: BlancoNino
Alright, are people finally realizing just how much of your money the federal government taxes? It used to get by with 2% of your taxes.

I've realized it since grade school when I would hear my grandfather bitch about having to pay taxes.

 

[redgtxdi]

Another problem that would arise *after* such an implement would be that, because the gov't only got their $$$ once a year, inevitably rates would have to go up to cover the money that was no longer compounding interest throughout the year!

Boooooo!!!!


Better to leave the system as it is...........unfortunately!! (And, yes, I do see your point!)



FWIW, I typically get a little back from the feds & owe a little to the state. That's about as close as I get to zero.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: BlancoNino
Also, people don't realize how MUCH they pay in taxes either, state and federal. On average, I'd say you'd have to sacrifice 3-4 whole months worth of paychecks to cover your taxes each year....maybe more?

My effective tax rate (federal + CA) = 32%

 

[Queasy]

FairTax FTW!

 

[TheNinja]

another thing that pisses me off and backs up the idea of flat tax is that 65% of your tax money goes to the IRS in order for them to collect, administrate, and audit taxes. Why not go to flat tax and give IRS like 10% b/c their jobs would be significantly easier. Therefore everyone would have to pay less taxes overall


ELECT THENINJA!!!!!

 

[zanieladie]

Doesn't it take until May something of every year for a person to pay their taxes? (Hypothetically speaking...)

The date keeps getting later and later every year.

 

[silverpig]

I know in Canada you can request your employer to not take off taxes. Maybe you can down in the US too?

 

[BlancoNino]

Originally posted by: Specop 007

Originally posted by: BlancoNino
Alright, are people finally realizing just how much of your money the federal government taxes? It used to get by with 2% of your taxes.

I've realized it since grade school when I would hear my grandfather bitch about having to pay taxes.

My grandfather (who's now 80) was a cherry grower for years and years and the tax laws were somewhat confusing for him and his wife (though they paid them). Well, come to find out, they didn't do something right and now the IRS claims he owes them thousands upon thousands of dollars. Well, there goes his retirement, what a waste of working and saving his whole life.

 

[Specop 007]

Originally posted by: redgtxdi
Another problem that would arise *after* such an implement would be that, because the gov't only got their $$$ once a year, inevitably rates would have to go up to cover the money that was no longer compounding interest throughout the year!

Boooooo!!!!


Better to leave the system as it is...........unfortunately!! (And, yes, I do see your point!)



FWIW, I typically get a little back from the feds & owe a little to the state. That's about as close as I get to zero.

I dont hover around zero, I actually get about 3-4 grand back every year depending. Thats only because my wife has a whole list of deductions. I know the one year I go in and change it her deductions would change (Murphys Law) and instead of a 3 grand refund I'd have a 3 grand bill!

Even though I get a nice refund though I still think its ridiculous that people look forward to tax time. I hear people actually happy "Glad its tax time, I'm getting a new TV with my refund!"
DUDE! You could have had that new TV 6 months ago if you werent paying so damn much in taxes, but you dont even care! You think your coming out ahead!!

Grrr.

 

[BlancoNino]

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: BlancoNino
Also, people don't realize how MUCH they pay in taxes either, state and federal. On average, I'd say you'd have to sacrifice 3-4 whole months worth of paychecks to cover your taxes each year....maybe more?

My effective tax rate (federal + CA) = 32%

32%? Sweet. That means you can pretty much take every paycheck you get in the months of January, February, March, and April, and mail them to their "RIGHTFUL" owners.

 

[Extelleron]

I'm too young to pay taxes other than sales tax (buying online FTW) but in all honesty my parents have no idea how much they pay for taxes. It's truly a wonder to me why people don't pay more attention to where a large percentage of their money is going.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: TheNinja
I understand what you are saying. However most people are not smart enough to budget properly. They would just spend their money on all sorts of crap, then come time to pay taxes they would not have any money. Then more tax money would be required for the IRS to go after these people. I would just rather see a flat tax...You pay n% of what your earned, that's it.

that's great, but is it a flat income tax? that'll get rid of some of the complexity, but a lot of the complexity is just figuring out what the hell is income. obviously, income can be easily defined as a realized increase in wealth. but how to apply it is the devil.