Is income tax fair?
By howhigh
@howhigh (757)
Canada
April 24, 2007 9:55am CST
when did you agree to pay tax, choose the laws, decide to be born where you were or since when do all of your contry's laws apply to you? Have we gone too far in society, in other words, does anyone think it's impossible to change the present system?
If anyone has knowledge about tax systems that are a bit unsual compared to n. america please share.
2 people like this
4 responses
@mmygrace (78)
• Philippines
25 Apr 07
Most of the time, it's unfair. In the current job that I have, our tax are about 20% of our total salary per month and that is real excruciating. You haven't even held your full salary and it has already been deducted much. Tsk tsk ...
@Kowgirl (3490)
• United States
29 Apr 07
Wait just a minute.....
YOU have a choice, Just put exempt on the W-2 form your employer has you sign. Then the federal income tax can NOT be withheld from your earnings. You will still pay into the SS and the Medicare tax but not the federal tax. Heres something to think about Why are we at war most of the time?
Because this is the only legal way the USA can tax anyone.
This tax was to support the troops when we had our first war and it was voluntary.
Paid by the companies who in turn took it from the employees by having them sign a paper letting them take it. You don't have to pay this tax but most people are afraid to stand up for their rights. If illegal aliens don't pay why should you?
I used the exempt for years and never got questioned about it.
1 person likes this
@theproperator (2429)
• United States
1 May 07
Umm, Kowgirl, you actually have to qualify to have that "exempt" status. You can't just choose to not pay taxes. You can choose to not have the taxes witheld from your paycheck, but you then have to pay at the end of the year.
Your employer won't question it, because it isn't thier responsibility, but if the IRS ever catches it, and you don't qualify, you will owe them all those back taxes, plus interest, plus penelties for improperly filing your taxes (and possiblyproscution for tax fraud). Be careful.
@theproperator (2429)
• United States
1 May 07
Well, I guess I agreed to abide by my country's laws when I turned 18 and chose to continue living here, rather than moving to another country. Before that, my parents were the ones who chose for me that I would live here and abide by the rules.
Nothing is impossible, in fact change is inevitable (though usually really slow when it comes to government).
@filmbuff (2909)
• United States
1 May 07
Is income tax fair? A very good question that I will take the probably very unpopular view of saying yes, it is fair and needed.
People have been taxed by governments going back as far as the very first governments, it may have been food that was shared or resources but there is always some form of tax involved.
Taxation is a neccesary evil. Tax is used to keep a country viable and secure. Taxes pay for virtually everything the government does from funding an army to sanitation to social security, healthcare, responding to disasters to feeding and housing the poor and everything else in between.
I don't think the question here should be "is tax fair," but rather, "is income tax in it current form fair?" And the answer to that question would be different depending on who you talk to (what walk of life they come from) and from what country they hail.
Taxation in America is unfair, because the poor are taxed far heavier than the rich, the rich don't carry their share of the burden. and the poor often do not receive the things they need such as healthcare and houseing. I'm sure someone of extreme wealth with disagree with me on that fact, but it is a hard principle to argue.
In answer to your other question as to whether the tax system can change, then the answer is a resounding yes. It can and does change often, every year there are changes and congress and the President can and do change it almostly constantly. When the current tax system is so broke that it no longer functions I'm sure it will be completely over-hauled.
