Just have to share this one

[DragonStryk72]

Okay, so today I talked with my friend Anna, and found out what she's doing for a living right now, and I just have no words for this: She pays taxes for a living.

I am not kidding, she apparently works for a company that tracks down unpaid taxes, and pays them out. Seriously, whenever you see that tagline on my posts for the fair tax, this is just one example of why. I just can't fathom how it got to a point where this is just considered a part of our economy.

[Immanuel]

Okay, so today I talked with my friend Anna, and found out what she's doing for a living right now, and I just have no words for this: She pays taxes for a living.

I am not kidding, she apparently works for a company that tracks down unpaid taxes, and pays them out. Seriously, whenever you see that tagline on my posts for the fair tax, this is just one example of why. I just can't fathom how it got to a point where this is just considered a part of our economy.

Hmmm, how do I get a hold of Anna. Will she pay my taxes? What's it gonna cost me?

Immie

[darin]

Is she hot?

[namvet]

who cares??? what her number????

[Mr. P]

Hmmm, how do I get a hold of Anna. Will she pay my taxes? What's it gonna cost me?

Immie

And that IS the $64,000 question. They ain't doing it for free.

[DragonStryk72]

Happily Married, guys.

From what I understand of it, basically, they look through the files, find taxes that, for whatever reason, didn't get paid, and go through the process to pay off those taxes, clearing them off the books. They get paid a portion of whatever taxes they collect.

Now, correct me if I'm wrong here, but isn't the IRS supposedly doing this already?

[DannyR]

Now, correct me if I'm wrong here, but isn't the IRS supposedly doing this already?

More than just income taxes to consider. And I wouldn't doubt that that IRS probably subcontracts. Collection agencies are quite profitable businesses.

So you're a big fan of the fairtax? I'm more in favor of just eliminating all exemptions myself on current income tax. You earn a dollar, its taxable.

This would lower the actual tax rates, and since the upper class are still taxed more than the lower class, you don't have to create an incredibly high sales tax level to equal current income. Likewise it does not create a new handout system the fairtax's rebate policy would enact. Also you don't have all the exemptions of the fairtax either, such as between business to business/ old vs new, etc.

Of course any tax reform is just a dream. Will never happen.

[DragonStryk72]

Now, correct me if I'm wrong here, but isn't the IRS supposedly doing this already?

More than just income taxes to consider. And I wouldn't doubt that that IRS probably subcontracts. Collection agencies are quite profitable businesses.

So you're a big fan of the fairtax? I'm more in favor of just eliminating all exemptions myself on current income tax. You earn a dollar, its taxable.

This would lower the actual tax rates, and since the upper class are still taxed more than the lower class, you don't have to create an incredibly high sales tax level to equal current income. Likewise it does not create a new handout system the fairtax's rebate policy would enact. Also you don't have all the exemptions of the fairtax either, such as between business to business/ old vs new, etc.

Of course any tax reform is just a dream. Will never happen.

Well, the problem there is that our current tax code was based upon the flat tax, so, yeah, that's too easy to abuse. The other problem is, think about what it is you are taxing- Let's say you bust your ass, come in on weekends and such, and generally knock things out. You get promoted, along with a significant raise, as is your due for being a solid worker, but the problem is that the raise puts you just over the line of the next tax bracket, meaning that, in fact, you are now making less actual money than you were previously.

In our country, we tax income, meaning that what we tax if hard work and success. At the same time, our own welfare system reinforces government dependency, hobbling the people who need to learn how to stand on their own. Even if that comes from a good place in people's hearts, it does not change the effect.

As to it never changing, it will, but only if people stop convincing themselves that it can't. There was a good reason Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence, "Men are content to tolerate evils while they are sufferable".

[DannyR]

You get promoted, along with a significant raise, as is your due for being a solid worker, but the problem is that the raise puts you just over the line of the next tax bracket, meaning that, in fact, you are now making less actual money than you were previously.

Flat tax systems don't work the way you describe.

If a tax bracket is at say $100,000, all the money earned under that level is taxed at one rate. Earning a $1 more doesn't put the whole income level taxed at the new rate, just that $1. Its impossible to earn less than you did before.

[DragonStryk72]

Flat tax systems don't work the way you describe.

If a tax bracket is at say $100,000, all the money earned under that level is taxed at one rate. Earning a $1 more doesn't put the whole income level taxed at the new rate, just that $1. Its impossible to earn less than you did before.

I wasn't talking about the flat tax, but our current tax system. The problem with the Flat Tax is, well, we tried that, and let's look at where we're at. Also, you're still taxing people for doing well, the one thing we should in fact be encouraging. Again, that's why I support the Fair Tax instead.

[DannyR]

I wasn't talking about the flat tax, but our current tax system.

Current tax system works the same way. Money earned up to a tax bracket is always taxes at the lower bracket level. Only dollars earned after that bracket are taxed more.

---

I just don't see the fairtax as being any different. Its prebate system is little different than a welfare check. In fact, its probably larger than most welfare checks! And you already have exemptions built into the system (B2B, old vs new). You have to be silly to think Congress won't just expand upon those as it see's fit.

[Immanuel]

Flat tax systems don't work the way you describe.

If a tax bracket is at say $100,000, all the money earned under that level is taxed at one rate. Earning a $1 more doesn't put the whole income level taxed at the new rate, just that $1. Its impossible to earn less than you did before.

The Flat Tax won't work, because you will have people who work for cash and never claim the actual earnings they receive just as they do right now. Under the Fair Tax, the tax is collected at the point of sale and paid by the seller who will be required to keep records just as in the case of state sales taxes today. With the Fair Tax anyone who buys in the U.S. will be paying taxes based on how much they spend.

Immie

[Classact]

Some people pay off property taxes owed and gain the title to the property.

[Mr. P]

Some people pay off property taxes owed and gain the title to the property.

Where? Any property tax I've ever paid was year to year...there was no pay off amount.

[DannyR]

Under the Fair Tax, the tax is collected at the point of sale and paid by the seller who will be required to keep records just as in the case of state sales taxes today. With the Fair Tax anyone who buys in the U.S. will be paying taxes based on how much they spend.

Only if they buy new items, and likewise only if they buy from a merchant that actually collects such taxes. Just as people who are paid cash and don't report taxes are a problem (illegal action by both employer and employee), people likewise can shop at various flee markets and avoid taxes (plenty of those around already!). Someone somewhere will always have to police things, and there are ways to cheat under all tax methods. Fairtax is no different.