Rendering to Caeser

[Drummer4Christ]

An analogy concerning the US tax code:


Let's say you go to the store to buy milk. You bring the milk up to the cashier and ask,

"How much do I owe for the milk?"

The cashier responds,

"It depends. I can't tell you how much you owe until you give me a little information about yourself, first."

"Just tell me how much I owe and I'll pay it" You tell the cashier.

The cashier hands you some forms and says, "Fill these out, first. Then I can tell you how much you owe."

"I don't have time to fill out forms" you respond, "whatever the price is, I'll pay it. Please, tell me how much I owe."

The cashier informs you that if you do not have time to fill out the forms, there is a computer program you can use to fill them out or, you can pay someone to fill then out for you.

You object to the cashiers suggestions, "Just tell me how much I owe and I will gladly pay it".

"I can't do that unless you fill out these forms" responds the cashier.

Finally, you give in "Fine, I'll fill out the forms".

So you fill them out, the cashier tells you how much you owe, and you pay for the milk.

However, as you leave, another store employee stops you and says "Excuse me, you didn't pay the correct amount. You still owe money. Please, come with me".


According to my father, paying taxes is a game where the object is to decrease your liability as much as possible without breaking rules that are always changing.

So much for "rendering unto Caesar" when Caesar won't tell you how much to render.

 

[jasoncran]

An analogy concerning the US tax code:


Let's say you go to the store to buy milk. You bring the milk up to the cashier and ask,

"How much do I owe for the milk?"

The cashier responds,

"It depends. I can't tell you how much you owe until you give me a little information about yourself, first."

"Just tell me how much I owe and I'll pay it" You tell the cashier.

The cashier hands you some forms and says, "Fill these out, first. Then I can tell you how much you owe."

"I don't have time to fill out forms" you respond, "whatever the price is, I'll pay it. Please, tell me how much I owe."

The cashier informs you that if you do not have time to fill out the forms, there is a computer program you can use to fill them out or, you can pay someone to fill then out for you.

You object to the cashiers suggestions, "Just tell me how much I owe and I will gladly pay it".

"I can't do that unless you fill out these forms" responds the cashier.

Finally, you give in "Fine, I'll fill out the forms".

So you fill them out, the cashier tells you how much you owe, and you pay for the milk.

However, as you leave, another store employee stops you and says "Excuse me, you didn't pay the correct amount. You still owe money. Please, come with me".


According to my father, paying taxes is a game where the object is to decrease your liability as much as possible without breaking rules that are always changing.

So much for "rendering unto Caesar" when Caesar won't tell you how much to render.

the wonderful 1040ez. i do that game every year

and the rules dont change that much.per my accountant.

 

[Drummer4Christ]

the wonderful 1040ez. i do that game every year

and the rules dont change that much.per my accountant.

Do you take the standard deduction or do you itemize?

 

[jasoncran]

Do you take the standard deduction or do you itemize?

i itemize because of my part time work that is independent contracted.

 

[Drummer4Christ]

i itemize because of my part time work that is independent contracted.

Do you deduct as much as you can?

 

[jasoncran]

Do you deduct as much as you can?

of course, i am not wealthy.
i will put it this way. When my wife worked as a maid and she did that as a sole propreiter she made in her last year less then 15k and owed several thousand dollars for that year in taxes. Remember you match yourself and your medicare and ss taxes as well and match them too.