Ron Paul bill H.R. 1139: Tax Free Tips Act of 2011

[Double Trouble]

I don't understand the distinction between tips versus income from any low-paying job. Everyone struggling to make a living would like some breaks. I get that. But why are tips any different than income from any other source? I'd guess a lot of people living off tips make more money than those getting paid minimum wages.

 

[BansheeX]

Good plan. Who needs highways anyways.

Right, because when government spending was a fraction the size it is now, we didn't have roads. Wake up, most of what the fed spends is complete waste, and that includes the interest incurred from borrowing. Why do you think it is now almost impossible to get by without 2 bread winners? Back in the 50s, people made the equivalent of $40 minimum wage today because 1 dollar = 1oz silver, there was virtually no need for consumer credit, women by and large did not work. WTF happened you think? Here's what:

 

[halik]

Right, because when government spending was a fraction the size it is now, we didn't have roads. Wake up, most of what the fed spends is complete waste, and that includes the interest incurred from borrowing. Why do you think it is now almost impossible to get by without 2 bread winners? Back in the 50s, people made the equivalent of $40 minimum wage today because 1 dollar = 1oz silver, there was virtually no need for consumer credit, women by and large did not work. WTF happened you think? Here's what:

Funny you should start the data series at 1970, I seem to recall some events in the 30s and 40s that might be relevant to the hypothesis...

 

[a777pilot]

54768!

Yes that is the number of angels that can dance on the head of a pin. Well, why not? Arguing how many angels can dance on the head of a pin makes as much sense as we poor put upon taxpayers auguring about what on and how much the government is going to spend. It's not up to us. We have no say it this. We just get the "honor" of paying for it. This will never, ever end, no matter who or what party is in the government, until that is, the system crashes. I would opine that that time, the crash, is not that far off.

Obama wants us to be Europe but we are headed in the path of Zimbabwe.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

FACT: people who make cash tips cheat on their taxes anyways.

 

[a777pilot]

FACT: people who make cash tips cheat on their taxes anyways.

Do you cheat on your taxes?

 

[IceBergSLiM]

Do you cheat on your taxes?

I dunno my accountant prepares my taxes.

 

[a777pilot]

I dunno my accountant prepares my taxes.

Then yes. Thanks for the answer.

 

[Schadenfroh]

I do not tip with cash because I want them to have a paper trail to be taxed.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

Then yes. Thanks for the answer.

:awe:

 

[Jhhnn]

Tips are no different than my bonus; entirely dependent on my and my firms performance.

Not exactly. Tips are dependent on the whims of the customer, bonuses are dependent on the whims of management.

Anybody who earns tips only pays taxes on part of them, anyway, you silly people. That hasn't changed for as long as the whole concept has been in existence. People who earn large tip income and use it to pay verifiable expenses need to claim more income- they need to remain within the bounds of plausibility regarding lifestyle vs declared income.

 

[GeezerMan]

I don't understand the distinction between tips versus income from any low-paying job. Everyone struggling to make a living would like some breaks. I get that. But why are tips any different than income from any other source? I'd guess a lot of people living off tips make more money than those getting paid minimum wages.

That's the point I'm trying to make. Why should we feel more sorry for a gal making 15,080.00 a year as a waitress than for a factroy worker making 15,080.00 year? And why give a free ride to those on tips that make decent money?

I'm really not arguing for a progressive income tax, but as long as we have it, income is income, not matter what the source

 

[her209]

I don't understand the distinction between tips versus income from any low-paying job. Everyone struggling to make a living would like some breaks. I get that. But why are tips any different than income from any other source? I'd guess a lot of people living off tips make more money than those getting paid minimum wages.

But if they're making 15k per year, with or without tips, they're not paying income taxes on that small of income, right? That's what is constantly being claimed with the 51% don't pay income taxes.

 

[Dulanic]

This is a joke anyways. Very few service people "properly" report all tips. Just like people "properly" report out of state internet purchases to their state.

 

[ayabe]

Passage of this bill would mean that hedge fund manager pay would now be classified as a tip.

It's not hard to see how this would be exploited to the nth degree by the criminal class in our society.

 

[her209]

Passage of this bill would mean that hedge fund manager pay would now be classified as a tip.

It's not hard to see how this would be exploited to the nth degree by the criminal class in our society.

Pretty soon we'll be expected to tip the UPS guy for bringing me my package.

 

[Thump553]

Ron Paul pushing for tax loopholes-where is the libertarian outcry against that?

If somehow this stupid bill becomes law I predict the billing practices of lawyers, aacountants. dentisits, mechanics, etc will change overnight with minimal bills and huge expected tips (paid upfront, most likely).

 

[a777pilot]

We already told you that was a stupid idea. It will never happen so stop rubbing your 5 braincells together.

It's not a stupid idea but I agree it will never happen. Why? Because there would be no way for the Congress Critters to reward their friends with a tax deduction.

 

[a777pilot]

:awe:

The "yes" means that I agree with you....you cheat on your taxes.

 

[blackangst1]

Most people making tips barely make a living wage if they do at all. Not to mention the uncertainty that goes along with relying to tips to make ends meet, it can be a hard life. I do not think that tips should be taxed. Ron Paul has done the correct thing here.

But many make good money. A friend of mine claimed a total of $78k on his 1040 for 2010, and he makes minimum wage. The rest was tips. So would you support not taxing tips in order to put more money in the majority's hands at the price of having a smaller percentage of tip earners live tax free? Really? Many wait staff at the higher end steak houses make six figures. How about escorts? Many of them make mid six figures. How is this any different than lowering the income taxes on the middle class at the expense of lowering taxes for the wealthy. Which Im sure you would not support.

 

[blackangst1]

Not exactly. Tips are dependent on the whims of the customer, bonuses are dependent on the whims of management.

Anybody who earns tips only pays taxes on part of them, anyway, you silly people. That hasn't changed for as long as the whole concept has been in existence. People who earn large tip income and use it to pay verifiable expenses need to claim more income- they need to remain within the bounds of plausibility regarding lifestyle vs declared income.

Which company pays bonuses based on management's opinion of you and not performance? Fuck'n a I wanna work there!

 

[Jhhnn]

Which company pays bonuses based on management's opinion of you and not performance? Fuck'n a I wanna work there!

Performance isn't judged from a purely objective standpoint...

 

[halik]

Performance isn't judged from a purely objective standpoint...

Oh you mean kind of like the subjective opinion of your performance by a guy that's been waiting for his steak for 10 mins?

I'll see if I can get my bonus restructured as a tip for the next quarter.

 

[her209]

Which company pays bonuses based on management's opinion of you and not performance? Fuck'n a I wanna work there!

Office politics, a.k.a., sucking up to management.

 

[xj0hnx]

Most people making tips barely make a living wage if they do at all.

You have any statistics to back that "most" of them barely make a living wage? I've worked in restaurants, catering, for a decade, and from my experience most of them make a pretty decent living if they are worth a shit, and don't have some retarded habit to cover.