OT - Anyone else in mourning today?

[Ysabel Kid]

Given that today was the dreaded "tax day" that haunts us every year?

I finished mine up last month, but this day still just sticks in my crawl - a reminder of how much our government has exceeded it's Constitutional authority, and how much they expect me to pay for such foolishness!!!

[Old Ironsights]

Somehow, even though the wife & I withhold Single Zero and we have a Joint AGI of less than $42K, I still ended up dropping an "extra" 1-1/2 weeks pay on the IRS beyond withholding...

That's why I waited until 1536 today to file...

[Kansas Ed]

What really irritates me is Bush's new economic incentives. Let's see....people who don't pay a dime in taxes but file a Federal tax return get $600 each back with an additional $300 per qualifying child. So as a result, the money we pay in taxes, some of it comes back to us (those who actually paid into the system), while more of our honestly paid tax dollars goes to people who never paid a dime into the system to begin with.

IMVIO (that's: In My Very Irritated Opinion) the max that should be paid out in this plan would be equal to or less than what the actual taxes an individual paid into the system. So if I only paid $820 in Federal taxes this year, my maximum economic incentive should be $820. But of course, if I am a single mother with 6 kids living on welfare I can collect $2400 without paying in a dime to the system.

And just how exactly does this current plan differ from socialism? One step at a time...one step at a time.

Ed

[TedH]

We usually come out about even with a small refund or a small bill. This year really stunk though. My wife started a new job early last year and they weren't withholding nearly enough for federal. I didn't realize it till near the end of the year. Then the value of that durn rifle added to it made my bill well over $4k this year.

[mescalero1]

You should see mine, it makes ME weak in the knees,
what are they doing with all that money?

[BruceB]

Actually it's April 14th for me.

On April 14,1865 Abraham Lincoln was shot in Ford's Theatre.

On April 14, 1912 The RMS Titanic struck an iceberg.

On April 14, 19?? My mother-in-law was born.

All the tragedies occur on April 14th.

[Ysabel Kid]

I try to set my withholdings so that I get back a very small amount - or pay a very small amount - come tax time.

Of course, this is what the government wants all of us to think - and forget the fact we paid taxes, every paycheck, throughout the whole year. So "getting back" is just a refund of your own money, without interest, over what they already took from you.

When I looked at federal, state, and local taxes - along with property taxes - I realized that I paid more in taxes this year than my entire annual salary 20 years ago.

I'd like to know what the heck they are doing with it and what gives them the right to rob me - because the Constitution sure doesn't! Kansas Ed hit the nail on the head - it is incremental socialism, which is just going to speed up if Hillary or Obama become president.

[ScottT]

Bitch, bitch, bitch, but are you willing to do anything about it?

I have heard people complain about this for years, in fact all of my adult life. But all they do is complain.....nothing more.

[Hobie]

What ticks me off is that they also tax your "refund" which was ALREADY taxed AND after you (if you) manage to accumulate over the course of your life some of that income it is taxed before it moves on to your heirs.

Frankly, I'm for consumption taxes. Heck, they are too, the Feds made 2X+ off gas sales what "big oil" made and they have near zero investment (except in admin processing and enforcement)...

[Old Ironsights]

I try to set my withholdings so that I get back a very small amount - or pay a very small amount - come tax time.

That's what I've always tried to do... but for some reason it hasn't worked for the lat two years... even after upping withholding.

I now withhold Max and add some besides. Obviously I'm not paying "my fair share" of our measly 42K...

On the "stimulus" package: I agree with Ed.

On Taxation in general: I agree with Hobie.

And ScottT, I TRIED to do somthing about it. It was called Supporting Ron Paul... but you don't like that option either.

[Grizz]

Mourning? NO WAY. I celebrate when the gov is off our backs.

I agree with Hobie with one caveat: kill the irs and all income taxes FIRST, then have a consumption tax. double it for anything that has a foreign language associated with it. no, quadruple it !!

[ScottT]

What I fear is that they might add a consumption tax on top of the income tax, promising to phase out the income tax, but the income tax will not be phased out.

A consumption tax makes sense from a variety of perspectives and it helps pick up those who are currently evading the system.

[Hobie]

What I fear is that they might add a consumption tax on top of the income tax, promising to phase out the income tax, but the income tax will not be phased out.

A consumption tax makes sense from a variety of perspectives and it helps pick up those who are currently evading the system.

Yes, I have the same fear. In fact, the national sales tax has been mentioned to be implemented in just that way...

[jschance]

It could be worse, you could live were I do.

This year they passed the property tax reform. To balance out the "loss of income" the state is anticipating, they've raised the sales tax. Oh, but wait, they exempted some counties from the property tax reform, mine being one of them. So, not only am I paying more property tax now, but I get to pay an additional 1% sales tax on everything I buy.

Gee, lucky me!

[Old Ironsights]

It could be worse, you could live were I do.

This year they passed the property tax reform. To balance out the "loss of income" the state is anticipating, they've raised the sales tax. Oh, but wait, they exempted some counties from the property tax reform, mine being one of them. So, not only am I paying more property tax now, but I get to pay an additional 1% sales tax on everything I buy.

Gee, lucky me!

I do live where you do...

[mescalero1]

Guys,
Ask Nath and/or Gamekeeper about thier situation, what the guys told me about when I was over there, made my hair turn grey!

[AJMD429]

We pay quarterly, and had to pay (or face a fine) $4,400, plus I've paid about $9,000 in matching federal taxes on employees so far this year. Trouble is, I got a paycheck just before Thanksgiving, then none in December, none in January, none in February, and none in March. Just got a $7,000 one. Whooppee.

Net result of working about 1,500 hours for the honor of taking $6,400 of my savings and handing over to Politicians and Leeches.

The only problem is, the regulators increase overhead, and the insurance companies cut reimbursement; overhead was allowing $14 per visit profit, but they cut reimbursement by $16. No wonder the family docs all give in and go work for hospitals (they'll pay handsomely if you send patients their way for profitable tests, and bonus you if you prescribe only cheap drugs).

I just can't wait to see how much better things wil be under Obama, with all the things he wants to do to (er, I mean 'for'?) us...!

[sore shoulder]

What I fear is that they might add a consumption tax on top of the income tax, promising to phase out the income tax, but the income tax will not be phased out.

Not often we see such cynicism from the resident barrister.

I agree with your earlier post, no one does anything about it, all we do is bitch. And they/we wont. The fed is too big. We saw what happened to the guy up in NY that barricaded himself in. I took your post as an observation and possibly encouragement btw.

[handirifle]

It could be worse, you could live were I do.

This year they passed the property tax reform. To balance out the "loss of income" the state is anticipating, they've raised the sales tax. Oh, but wait, they exempted some counties from the property tax reform, mine being one of them. So, not only am I paying more property tax now, but I get to pay an additional 1% sales tax on everything I buy.

Gee, lucky me!

Well I gotta admit for once we in CA have it over some others. We passed Prop 13 many years ago, making it a MAX of 1% of "assessed" property value in property taxes. If you owned you home when it took affect assessed value was usually about 1/3 of retail value. If you sell the home, the new owner's purchase price IS the assesed value.

If property values go up, your taxes do not. If they go down, you can have it re-assessed and lower your taxes.

We have Howard Jarvis to thank for that one. In order to assess any additional LOCAL taxes, it takes 2/3 of the votes, in a general election, to impose it.

Believe me, it works. You folks just need to get it on you ballots.

There are NO exempt counties or cities.

[ohwin94_61]

[brucew44guns]

Ol' Deerwhacker had a post earlier today about the stupidity of Jimmy Carter as a president of our country. All these taxes we as a forum paid in, in 2007, imagine how many of us it took, just to pay in enough to cover the Peanut Farmers retirement last year. He was president for 4 years, and we pay multuple 10's of thousands every year for his enjoyment, while he goes around the world with that silly smile that makes you sick, making speeches over Arafats grave. I wonder how much he paid the IRS this time?

[Ysabel Kid]

Ol' Deerwhacker had a post earlier today about the stupidity of Jimmy Carter as a president of our country. All these taxes we as a forum paid in, in 2007, imagine how many of us it took, just to pay in enough to cover the Peanut Farmers retirement last year. He was president for 4 years, and we pay multuple 10's of thousands every year for his enjoyment, while he goes around the world with that silly smile that makes you sick, making speeches over Arafats grave. I wonder how much he paid the IRS this time?

Bruce, I swear you are trying to raise my blood pressure!

[AJMD429]

Pray for passage of the FAIR TAX...!