Taxes and Timing

[adios]

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do ppl really not know how much they pay in taxes? i mean if theyre on an annual salary and and its say 75k a year, dont they notice when they only get paid 55k?

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The notice that they get paid 55k, they don't think about what they could have done with the other 20k because they're conditioned to consider it as not their money. To them, it's the same as the company saying "We're paying you $55,000 to do the work and giving $20,000 to someone else".

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You can fill out a form to have no taxes withheld if you're a W-2 wage earner. I've heard it will take about 6 weeks for the IRS to come around and start asking question though.

[manbearpig]

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Right. That would be the whole point. All the people who want the govt to provide health care and ponies for children or whatever would have to step back and say "damn, this costs a ton of money. Maybe it would be better if I kept it and took care of myself." Instead of blindly forking it over.

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You're such an optimist. I would guess the reaction would be more along the lines of "Damn, this costs a ton of money. Why aren't they taking more from rich people, I can't afford this!"

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Probably true. But what I keep preaching to people that will listen is that knowledge is power. If you could see in real dollars what government services cost you by writing that check for it I think people would really start to think twice about wanting and supporting big government.

[manbearpig]

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do ppl really not know how much they pay in taxes? i mean if theyre on an annual salary and and its say 75k a year, dont they notice when they only get paid 55k?

[/ QUOTE ]

The notice that they get paid 55k, they don't think about what they could have done with the other 20k because they're conditioned to consider it as not their money. To them, it's the same as the company saying "We're paying you $55,000 to do the work and giving $20,000 to someone else".

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QFT.

Having to write a check at the end of the year for 20K would sure as hell be a lot more painful than having it taken out little bit by little bit.

[moorobot]

I don't think this is a serious problem. The majority of people in the United States disdain taxation and think that taxation is too high. The problem is that the majority also support government programs. In fact, surveys have consistently shown that, when asked on a program by program basis, most people favor more government programs than are currently provided and more funding for the majority of current gov't programs.

And, of course, in order to provide the programs, gov't must either tax or go into debt (which people also tend to oppose). So the problem is that the majority want the impossible: less taxation, and more government spending. The reality in the U.S. reflects a 'reality-based' compromise between the two desires of the majority that are impossible to achieve simultaneously.

[MC Chris]

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do ppl really not know how much they pay in taxes? i mean if theyre on an annual salary and and its say 75k a year, dont they notice when they only get paid 55k?

[/ QUOTE ]

The notice that they get paid 55k, they don't think about what they could have done with the other 20k because they're conditioned to consider it as not their money. To them, it's the same as the company saying "We're paying you $55,000 to do the work and giving $20,000 to someone else".

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QFT.

Having to write a check at the end of the year for 20K would sure as hell be a lot more painful than having it taken out little bit by little bit.

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haha try being a poker player. i had to write a check for $85,000 last year. i really wanna know where it went. to bomb iraq? to feed laquisha and her 5 kids? surgery to remove a bullet from rodrigo?

[Misfire]

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haha try being a poker player. i had to write a check for $85,000 last year. i really wanna know where it went. to bomb iraq? to feed laquisha and her 5 kids? surgery to remove a bullet from rodrigo?

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will you teach me how to play poker?

[KUJustin]

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do ppl really not know how much they pay in taxes? i mean if theyre on an annual salary and and its say 75k a year, dont they notice when they only get paid 55k?

[/ QUOTE ]

The notice that they get paid 55k, they don't think about what they could have done with the other 20k because they're conditioned to consider it as not their money. To them, it's the same as the company saying "We're paying you $55,000 to do the work and giving $20,000 to someone else".

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You can fill out a form to have no taxes withheld if you're a W-2 wage earner. I've heard it will take about 6 weeks for the IRS to come around and start asking question though.

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Would this also increase the chances of an audit? I don't mind some questions if that's all it is.

[Poofler]

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I don't think this is a serious problem. The majority of people in the United States disdain taxation and think that taxation is too high. The problem is that the majority also support government programs. In fact, surveys have consistently shown that, when asked on a program by program basis, most people favor more government programs than are currently provided and more funding for the majority of current gov't programs.

And, of course, in order to provide the programs, gov't must either tax or go into debt (which people also tend to oppose). So the problem is that the majority want the impossible: less taxation, and more government spending. The reality in the U.S. reflects a 'reality-based' compromise between the two desires of the majority that are impossible to achieve simultaneously.

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Sure, they think it's neat that we have a department of education. What this "support" doesn't evaluate is whether it's worth $X of their paycheck to them. They don't have this information - I suppose you could calculate it, but the average taxpayer doesn't know how much $ comes from him to support certain programs.

In terms of taxpayer awareness, which I think is what the OP is getting at, something I would love to see is an actual annual Federal itemizing of your $ contribution to various government programs. When people actually see how much money they personally contributed to something they marginally value, maybe we'd get a little more activism.

[MC Chris]

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haha try being a poker player. i had to write a check for $85,000 last year. i really wanna know where it went. to bomb iraq? to feed laquisha and her 5 kids? surgery to remove a bullet from rodrigo?

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will you teach me how to play poker?

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ha, this year hasn't been as good as last year. i play a lot less though.

[manbearpig]

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I don't think this is a serious problem. The majority of people in the United States disdain taxation and think that taxation is too high. The problem is that the majority also support government programs. In fact, surveys have consistently shown that, when asked on a program by program basis, most people favor more government programs than are currently provided and more funding for the majority of current gov't programs.

And, of course, in order to provide the programs, gov't must either tax or go into debt (which people also tend to oppose). So the problem is that the majority want the impossible: less taxation, and more government spending. The reality in the U.S. reflects a 'reality-based' compromise between the two desires of the majority that are impossible to achieve simultaneously.

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Sure, they think it's neat that we have a department of education. What this "support" doesn't evaluate is whether it's worth $X of their paycheck to them. They don't have this information - I suppose you could calculate it, but the average taxpayer doesn't know how much $ comes from him to support certain programs.

In terms of taxpayer awareness, which I think is what the OP is getting at, something I would love to see is an actual annual Federal itemizing of your $ contribution to various government programs. When people actually see how much money they personally contributed to something they marginally value, maybe we'd get a little more activism.

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That is exactly what I am getting at. I think if you asked people if they support every kid having a pony to ride they would say yes to that too. But if you ask them if they are willing to give x number of dollars a year to pay for the ponies you would see support fall dramatically.