Very Disappointed in America

[lx43]

http://reason.com/blog/2012/04/17/globally-speaking-american-taxpayers-are

Personal Income Tax Compliance Rates
United States: 83.1%
United Kingdom: 77.97%
Switzerland: 77.70%
France: 75.38%
Austria: 74.80%
Netherlands: 72.84%
Belgium: 70.15%
Portugal: 68.09%
Germany: 67.72%
Italy: 62.49%

This nation was founded on a rebellion on paying taxes and yet what do I see here we have one the highest compliance rates in the world for paying taxes. Shame on US!!! Where are all my cheaters at?

[MRK]

I know several people who don't file tax returns. Most of them do it out of laziness/poverty/craziness/they don't see a need to. They don't really make much money so I guess I see how they get away with it.

One of them has over 300,000 debt in medical bills and she's only 26 :O. Oh, and on food stamps...

[oyarde]

I doubt the rate of compliance is that high ...

[fr33]

This nation was founded on a rebellion on paying taxes and yet what do I see here we have one the highest compliance rates in the world for paying taxes. Shame on US!!! Where are all my cheaters at?

It was founded on tax rebellion then almost immediately set out to squash tax protestors.

[heavenlyboy34]

It was founded on tax rebellion then almost immediately set out to squash tax protestors.
this^^

[Inkblots]

We're a nation that believes in the rule of law. What is shameful is to support high taxes and then dodge them like our German friends do, rather than to work tirelessly to lower taxes and follow the law while doing so as we do here.

[Aeroneous]

http://reason.com/blog/2012/04/17/globally-speaking-american-taxpayers-are

Personal Income Tax Compliance Rates
United States: 83.1%
United Kingdom: 77.97%
Switzerland: 77.70%
France: 75.38%
Austria: 74.80%
Netherlands: 72.84%
Belgium: 70.15%
Portugal: 68.09%
Germany: 67.72%
Italy: 62.49%

This nation was founded on a rebellion on paying taxes and yet what do I see here we have one the highest compliance rates in the world for paying taxes. Shame on US!!! Where are all my cheaters at?

I feel it necessary to point out that every single one of those countries has income tax rates higher than our own (some significantly so).

[opal]

Kind of makes me wonder what they consider compliance. There is no choice to them taking what they think they are due from a paycheck.. that would up the numbers..

[jmdrake]

It was founded on tax rebellion then almost immediately set out to squash tax protestors.

Yep. Whiskey rebellion FTW.

[Anti Federalist]

Kind of makes me wonder what they consider compliance. There is no choice to them taking what they think they are due from a paycheck.. that would up the numbers..

Payroll withholding.

A "temporary" WWII measure that had nothing to do with taxes, but was a means by which the Feds could "control" wages, wages that were spiking out of control due to the shortage of skilled men to man the factories and foundries and other war material apparatuses.

Ever wonder why, if you are an hourly worker, let's say, why the tax bite goes up so rapidly as you make more money for overtime or triple time?

That is the "progressivity" of income tax withholding. That's why it was built that way, so that employers could not get into "bidding wars" and raise salaries to attract or "steal away" skilled workers from one outfit to another.

That was where the idea of company paid "health care" came from, and lots of other perqs, like paid vacations, company cars and so on.

They were "schemes" to do an end run around the Feds and attract people, by offering these bonuses and fringe benefits, they were "off the books" enhancements.

And now here we are, almost 70 years later, with one of the most bankrupt and fucked up health care "systems" on the face of the earth, due in large part to the utter tomfuckery employer paid health care insurance has made out of the system, and a government that has now fully enshrined and accepted as fact, the idea that it can confiscate the fruits of our labor before we even earn it.

I recall Alan Keyes, years ago, making this point, as valid today as it was then:

"We are worse off than medieval serfs! At least the feudal Lord of old would allow his subjects to put bread on the table and a roof over their heads before coming for his taxes."

[osan]

Ever wonder why, if you are an hourly worker, let's say, why the tax bite goes up so rapidly as you make more money for overtime or triple time?

Screw that. I work C2C only and paid zero taxes for well over 10 years despite $500K+ earnings per year. All very much within the law, I might add. Never audited, never sent a letter - nothing. It pays to have a proper accountant. :)

[Anti Federalist]

Screw that. I work C2C only and paid zero taxes for well over 10 years despite $500K+ earnings per year. All very much within the law, I might add. Never audited, never sent a letter - nothing. It pays to have a proper accountant. :)

And that's awesome, for people that can take advantage of that.

But millions and millions can't, or won't. And they get walloped in withholding as income grows, you are taxed on your last dollar as if every dollar was made in that bracket.

[UWDude]

We're a nation that believes in the rule of law. What is shameful is to support high taxes and then dodge them like our German friends do, rather than to work tirelessly to lower taxes and follow the law while doing so as we do here.

How's that workin' out for ya?

[UpperDecker]

It was founded on tax rebellion then almost immediately set out to squash tax protestors.

This. And this is a reason I rip into my liberal co-workers when talking taxes. I tell them that this country was founded on saying "no" to taxation without representation and rip them for how they want even MORE taxes (even though they probably can't name all the taxes we already pay).

[lx43]

Payroll withholding.

A "temporary" WWII measure that had nothing to do with taxes, but was a means by which the Feds could "control" wages, wages that were spiking out of control due to the shortage of skilled men to man the factories and foundries and other war material apparatuses.

Ever wonder why, if you are an hourly worker, let's say, why the tax bite goes up so rapidly as you make more money for overtime or triple time?

That is the "progressivity" of income tax withholding. That's why it was built that way, so that employers could not get into "bidding wars" and raise salaries to attract or "steal away" skilled workers from one outfit to another.

That was where the idea of company paid "health care" came from, and lots of other perqs, like paid vacations, company cars and so on.

They were "schemes" to do an end run around the Feds and attract people, by offering these bonuses and fringe benefits, they were "off the books" enhancements.

And now here we are, almost 70 years later, with one of the most bankrupt and fucked up health care "systems" on the face of the earth, due in large part to the utter tomfuckery employer paid health care insurance has made out of the system, and a government that has now fully enshrined and accepted as fact, the idea that it can confiscate the fruits of our labor before we even earn it.

I recall Alan Keyes, years ago, making this point, as valid today as it was then:

"We are worse off than medieval serfs! At least the feudal Lord of old would allow his subjects to put bread on the table and a roof over their heads before coming for his taxes."

You are right serfs several hundreds years ago didn't have to pay near the tax we do.