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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Taxes



Partially through circumstance and partially though planning, my lovely wife and I pay no Federal taxes. At least I can take comfort in knowing we are not contributing to the bad things the Federal government is doing.

There is no state income tax in New Hampshire. No problem there either.

Of course, my property taxes are high enough. At least I know where most of the local and state money is going. The lion's share of my property tax bill goes to my local government. At least I've the option of going to town meeting and making my voice heard. Not only that, I actually benefit from many services that my town provides. The roads are plowed, trash is hauled a way, the fire department will show up, police patrol, and my three kids went though the local schools. It takes money to do those things.

Taxes are sneaky. They are stuck onto a lot of things. Most states have sales taxes. New Hampshire doesn't but I travel a lot. Telling the clerk that I'm from NH and should be exempt from sales tax doesn't fly in other other states. A few clerks were a bit confused and tried to figure out how to do that. Yeah, I'm a trouble maker with a twisted sense of humor.

Still, taxes stick to a lot of things, tenacious as dog poo on white sneakers. If you buy tires, there's a tax. Transportation fuels are taxed. Phone service and other utilities are taxed. Restaurants have taxes. Obama's new medical insurance is a tax. The list goes on and on.

They got me with tires and phone service. My power utility has been told to disconnect my service next month. Completely off grid after that. I burn waste veggie for most of vehicle fuel, so pay very little road tax. Heck, even my route from New Hampshire to Florida avoids most road tolls.

The new medical “tax.” won't affect me unless I let it. Their penalty mechanism is though the IRS withholding tax refunds. I don't even have to file taxes, so they can't get me there. The weird thing is that I can only afford to pay my wife's insurance deductibles because I'm not paying for insurance for myself.

The really really sad thing is, even though I pay few taxes, I still pay more tax the many major corporations.

-Sixbears

22 comments:

  1. I suppose taxes are the bane of us all.

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  2. I hate taxes with a passion. Sadly, I can't dodge 'em.

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  3. Wow. You pay more personal tax than a major corporation? Incredible!

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    1. It's easy when so many pay no taxes at all, or even get more money back than they paid in. I suppose it's only fair, as they own the politicians.

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  4. Careful they may see this and make yet another tax to punish people who think.

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  5. You are right most corps. Pay no taxes.Dubai is the biggest tax haven in world.Major corps. Have their headquarters there.
    In USA IRS spend 6 months with 3 to 6 IRS agents figuring who major corps. Owe on taxes 3 years ago.
    The small businesses and workers pay all the taxes. War Taxes for supper rich who hide their money with billionaires commies from Red China.No wonder the banks love Red China.They are in bed together.

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    1. It's pretty disturbing. That's why I don't feel bad about ducking as many taxes as possible.

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  6. If it were not for corporations, we would not have the high standard of living that we do. Of course, some of them take advantage of size and power.

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    1. It's all about checks and balances. Things are out of kilter right now.

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  7. I am a peanut butter junky most people dont know peanut products have a 15% tax built in.Those that pay little pay more than thy think its just hidden.We once fought a war over just 2% tax!!!

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    1. Lots of hidden taxes. Didn't know PB was so high. Go figure.

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  8. This is a "GOD LOVING COUTRY". ......"IN GOD WE TRUST"....but, every one else pay taxes.

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  9. Greetings, sir. Long time lurker, first time commenting. For decades, I felt similarly to you and the commenters thus far regarding corporate "income" tax. One day, a friend pointed out something that I had never considered before, but changed my way of thinking completely.

    Corporations do not pay any taxes, regardless of what their annual reports may indicate. Taxes are part of the cost of doing business. If a company's business plan is to realize $1 of profit per widget produced, they will set the price accordingly. If the cost to produce one widget is $9, they will price it at $10. Say their tax burden increases, and the cost (including the tax increase) per widget becomes $10. They simply increase the selling price to $11. Those who buy the widgets are actually paying the corporation's tax, along with whatever sales, use or other tax levied separately.

    I say eliminate corporate tax completely, put that division of the IRS out of business, and let the market price drop accordingly.

    -Grumpy

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    1. Looks good on paper, but I'm thinking it's not so cut and dried in the real world. Yes, it gets complicated.

      However, do the oil companies really need a tax subsidy? They get one.

      We could go industry by industry,company by company, shake the tree and see what falls out.

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  10. We got out of paying taxes on the Civic, which we bought in NC, 'cause we were moving back to NH. ;)

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  11. G.E. payed no Taxes on 108 billion .In 2010.Why?Put many dummy corporations over seas.
    Small businesses and workers get shafted again.

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  12. Guess that makes us the real dummies.

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