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Tuesday, April 18. 2017

Eliminate witholding taxes

Every citizen should do what I do: write quarterly payment checks for Social Security, Federal and state taxes,  Medicare tax, etc.


It makes it real. People who get regular paychecks never get all of their earned wages. That is not right. Does the government not trust citizens to pay their taxes themselves?

Posted by The Barrister at 15:32 | Comments (19) | Trackbacks (0)

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re Does the government not trust citizens to pay their taxes themselves?

Of course they don't. If the citizenry had to find tax money on April 15th for a year's worth of taxes (or even 3 mos worth, paying quarterly) the system would collapse from non-payment and outrage.
#1 feeblemind on 2017-04-18 16:04 (Reply)
No, the gummint does NOT trust us, but it trusts businesses to do that for us, those getting regular paychecks.
#2 Sam L. on 2017-04-18 16:04 (Reply)
Simple answer: NO.

Longer answer: The federal government - or at least the Progressive (translation: Marxist, but afraid to openly say so) politicians - believe that it is all really their money. Remember when Obama said, "If you've got a business, you didn't build that business"? That's what Marxists/Communists/Socialists believe - that everything should be effectively owned by the government (a.k.a. "the people") which then gets to dole it out to. If you have money, you must have oppressed others in order to obtain it. Therefore, you are dishonest and cannot be trusted. Hence, the government needs to do everything in its power to seize your money - including having your employer send it to the government rather than trusting you.
#3 mike m on 2017-04-18 16:08 (Reply)
Words from the wise.

We are simply stupid pawns to be used at whim. The 0 was nothing but a street organizer, much like the old Chicago Mafia, until he was moved over to the presidency. Now he enjoys $10K/night vacations and the hospitality of those he made rich, richer, richest.
#3.1 jma on 2017-04-18 19:00 (Reply)
The 13th amendment, may have abolished slavery, but the 16th reestablished it. You think taht money and property is yours, try running afoul of the IRS. Paying quarterly taxes, as a self employed person, really does make the picture clear. I don't think the government likes self employed people.
#4 B Hammer on 2017-04-18 16:39 (Reply)
No thanks. Even with deductions, I'm still owing in April. Writing one check a year pisses me off enough, without doing it 3 more times.
#5 Mike Anderson (Link) on 2017-04-18 16:46 (Reply)
I agree. I think all taxes should be paid by the taxpayer in a way that makes it clear to him what our government is costing us. Write a check, pay in cash, pay with a money order, pay in person, whatever it takes.

Our state passed a law a few years back to have property tax bills sent out in October and due Nov 1st before elections so that voters/tax payers still had the nasty taste of that big bill when they voted. Maybe we could do that nationally too and pay our income taxes just before the November elections too.
#6 GoneWithTheWInd on 2017-04-18 19:32 (Reply)
Back when Reagan was Governor of California, he disallowed automatic payroll deductions for State income tax.
He wanted the people to know how much of their paychecks the government was eating.
#7 Ghost_of_GOP on 2017-04-18 20:44 (Reply)
"Does the government not trust citizens to pay their taxes themselves?"

Got nothing to do with it. The government knows that quarterly checks would lead in about 2 or 3 quarters to rope, tar, feathers and lamp-posts for both politicians and bureaucrats.

As will happen anyway, kommt der Tag.
#8 Fred Z on 2017-04-18 20:52 (Reply)
This.

Rope, Tree, Politician--some assembly required.
#8.1 William O. B'Livion on 2017-04-18 21:17 (Reply)
The same could be said about real estate taxes. When it is all rolled up in a mortgage payment, the masses rarely pay attention to the increases from their local school districts. The local teachers union loves this. As someone who pays real estate taxes herself with one check, I always take note of the increases from year to year. I believe if every homeowner had to take this responsibility upon themselves, rather than allowing the mortgage nanny to do this, there would be larger attendance at school board meetings during budgeting and contract negotiations. But hey living with your head in the sand, or other places, seems to be the "norm" these days.
#9 Pocono pam on 2017-04-19 00:57 (Reply)
Yes, this is the only way people (low information types) will know that they pay taxes and how much.
#10 Dai on 2017-04-19 06:59 (Reply)
I file federal income taxes for our employees quarterly,make my deposits monthly, sometimes weekly when I can depending on cash flow.

It takes 2-3 months to get notice from them when there's a mistake (convenient when penalties and interest accrue during all that time) and over an hour on the phone to "fix" it, because credits won't automatically be applied to the next quarter when there's overpayment.

Basically, it's more lucrative to siphon money out of businesses for discrepancies. More assets to seize.

And I"ve been saying that for years about health insurance. Have people pay for their own. Go thru the fun of shopping for it and deciding how much your budget can allow.

Now most people do pay their own, if they can afford it, thanks to the unaffordable care act.
#11 fjord on 2017-04-19 07:06 (Reply)
My idea for a Constitutional amendment: Tax Day: 15 April. Election Day: 16 April. (No withholding.)
#12 RNB on 2017-04-19 07:15 (Reply)
The best way around this messed up system is to make your federal representatives support the Fair Tax. It eliminates the IRS, requires repealing the 16th amendment, and requires no income withholding. Contrary to what some say, it is not a VAT.

My House member, Rep. Bridenstine, is a major supporter for the Fair Tax. Unfortunately he is in the last round of his self-imposed term limit. He's a true warrior statesman.
#13 Jack Walter on 2017-04-19 07:21 (Reply)
Paying estimated taxes requires discipline and budgeting, qualities most taxpayers lack.
#14 Hawk1776 on 2017-04-19 07:58 (Reply)
I have learned that a con man tries to get other people to believe what he believes. Thats not saying the Barrister is a con man, its just an observation and NO I DONT want to pay taxes every 3 months
#15 bgarrett on 2017-04-19 08:04 (Reply)
Heh...

I often tell people that if I were King for a day I would make two changes: I would do away with withholding and repeal the 17th amendment.
#16 Mike (Link) on 2017-04-19 22:44 (Reply)
I hate to tell you, but our hero, Milton Friedman, invented income tax withholding during WW2.

He later regretted it.

http://conversableeconomist.blogspot.mx/2014/04/how-milton-friedman-helped-invent.html
#17 John on 2017-04-20 21:12 (Reply)

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