I have to pay a penalty for owing state taxes this year. WTF?! That sounds like paying a fee for having to pay a fee. Or being ass raped because you were ass raped.
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I have to pay a penalty for owing state taxes this year. WTF?! That sounds like paying a fee for having to pay a fee. Or being ass raped because you were ass raped.
It just piles on doesn't it?
Me and my ex-wife owed on our taxes every year for the last 6 years of our marriage. Roughly about 6 grand a year. We had to pay so much and for so long that when I saw your post, I just sighed and thought "oh well", just like if I was still married and finding out I owed even more. They bend us over a table and force us to keep taking it over and over until our legs give out.
And then we take it some more.
Taxes are so messed up. It's hard to feel sorry for the politicians that keep falling out of Obama's cabinet, but in a way you do. One accounts says one thing, one says another. Then you are stuck looking like the schlep who don't pay his taxes.
Come to iceland man, the economy is shit yea but atleast the tax is only 37,2%(befor tax discount). Im currently palying 0.00000% tax (cuz i is pro, naa its my discount :P)
Also companys get a nice discount ( ther tax is set @ 15%)
Move to New York..there's no taxes here... :whistling:
We have a tax that was passed (in the pure interest of the people's health) that requires any drink with sugar be taxed extra.
Great right? We need to be healthier!
Just saw on the news they are pushing a tax now on gym memberships! WTF?
Being out of work, I was bumped down two income brackets (as far as 2008 goes) and got some money back. In my situation, it's actually quite a bit of money. And now you all hate me, but don't start the hate so fast - you all have jobs (I assume).
Anyhow, garbage like this is exactly why I stopped looking for work in certain places and states. The taxes are so screwed up that there is no reason to live there unless you're attached to the area, and clearly I'm not. A few days ago, I heard that those in California that should get money back from the state aren't going to do so for quite some time because their refund checks are being held to balance the budget. Great.
Yeah not really that mad about owing, after all I still do have a job and have not been layed off.
I was mostly pissed because I have no idea what the hell the penalty I owe is. Instead, I have to fill out some convuluted form 760c or some shit, with like 80 different boxes and 50 different calculations on how to figure out what my penatly is for owing over $150 in state taxes!
Couldn't me more confusing......
Geez, what state is that?
No, I'm actually quite happy for you. Being out of work sucks, and I'm sure the refund will help out. Here's to hoping your refund check is as fat as possible.Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Basilikos',index.php?page=Thread&postID=175448#po st175448
And how do we feel that so much of our tax money is going towards businesses with failed financial policies? How large is the federal deficit going to be in next year's budget? What will the total national debt be? $12 trillion? Do you know what amount of our taxes last year were wasted on paying just the INTEREST on the national debt? Try around 8% of the total budget. That's 8% of your tax dollars taken last year just to keep the national debt from growing on interest. Would you have rather had 8% less money taken out of your taxes in the first place? That's the problem with carrying a national debt. There's a reason the national debt has grown every year (including all 8 of Bill Clinton's years, even though he likes to claim a "surplus") - we blow so much money on paying interest on the debt. We'd be lucky to squeeze a $500 billion surplus (AFTER interest has been paid *cough* Clinton *cough*) out of Washington every year.. that'll pay off that national debt by 2033. Yeah, that'll happen.
Silencer - no kidding. I'm not in favor of business welfare for ANY company, but supporting the failures is even worse! If they're not successful, it's like burning the cash we're giving them since there's no return on it.
want lower taxes? don't want the government looking through your sofa cushions for all the extra pennies it can find, in order to fund their big parties and pay off all their rich friends... well... you'll have to wait 4 years to try and change that.
Maybe, maybe not. Depending how things go in the near future, the political landscape could be very different in two years. And as much as I don't like the tax rate as it is right now, I'd be a little less cross if the taxes actually helped more than they do. I'm grateful for the roads and the defense that the government affords me, but that's just a slice of the budget at any level of government.Quote:
Originally Posted by 'keyclone',index.php?page=Thread&postID=175660#pos t175660
Im still waiting on some information before I can file my taxes, but this year was a pain. I made a nice amount on paper, but I have nothing to show for it. Ive already paid in more taxes than all my bills and utilities combined.
Well, maintaining a national debt isn't necesarily a bad thing, but keeping it under control is certainly important. Hugely deepening it during an expansion didn't help anything, because now that we need to get out of a recession, we're looking at increasing our debt to GDP ratio even higher.
What's really getting me is all these cabinet appointees who haven't paid their taxes. I mean, what the hell? This is supposed to be the party that understands the necesity of taxes and utilizing them for the public good. Makes it real to take them seriously when they keep running in to "ope, so and so didn't pay their taxes either!"
Um, yeah, these last 8 years we've seen a dramatic decrease in the size of government...Quote:
Originally Posted by 'keyclone',index.php?page=Thread&postID=175660#pos t175660
hmm... spend 8 years defunding defense and intelligence... then the new guy comes in, gets hit within 6 months, turns to see what assests he's got to deal with it and... ??? next thing you know you need to recoup those 8 years of non spending. hmm... that wouldn't be an age old political trick, would it? and now the new administration wants to dismantle 80% of the US nuclear arsenal... all the while defunding intelligence?? didn't we see what happened the last time we did that? (anyone remember 9-11??)
yea, bright moves.
and no, your income taxes do not go to the roads. that would be the gas taxes. fire & police? property taxes. schools? some property taxes, and the fed pushes money into the schools (from income taxes) in order to keep control.
what's really needed... i mean, if you really want change... would be to have a FULL accounting of EVERY DIME brought in... and EVERY DIME being spent. you'd be surprised how many hundred of millions, if not billions, go to parties (drives me crazy). don't think so? did you miss the $180m inaugral party 2 weeks ago?
i thought these were tough times... if so, don't go partying on my dime.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think the Dems are going to do much better than the Repubs have (it's truly hard to do worse), I just don't buy the argument that Republican = smaller gov't anymore (and haven't for awhile). In other words, just because a D is in office I don't think it's significantly more likely that the spending will go through the roof because both D and R love to support their special interests, just the money will be spent differently.
I'd vote Republican in a second if Republicans were actual Republicans and not the gov't expansionist bible thumping political mutants they have become... better yet a true Libertarian would be my choice (abolish the Fed, reinstate the gold standard or some function where a private corporation (the Fed) isn't controlling inflation).
the thing about the GOP is the 'big tent' mindset. they have been expanding it to try and include everyone, while losing the core beliefs. basically, the expansion has been an expansion to the left. i h ave listened to rush a few times, and he goes crazy when the gop bow down to socialist principles (which we have going on now). i would say that rush is probably a proper example of what the gop should be... and the difference between rush and mccain are night and day.
btw... i'm a constitutional libertarian (there's like 5 of us)
LOL please don't tell me that you believe that bullshit. Both major parties are remarkably similar, but they don't want you to know that.. so they bicker about the relatively little differences they have - usually regarding social issues.Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Bigfish',index.php?page=Thread&postID=175921#post 175921
Make it 6.Quote:
Originally Posted by 'keyclone',index.php?page=Thread&postID=175962#pos t175962
Waaay back when "I was young and needed the money" i worked a summer job at the IRS and even though your problem is with the state, they may be similar in that: If you call them up in person (maybe later, after paying your penalty as a sign of good faith) you can usually find someone to talk to who has discretionary power to abate minor penalties for first offenders or people with exceptional circumstances. Usually if it's the first time you can just claim that you were unaware of the rule that cause you the penalty "but now you are, and it won't happen again". I know when i worked there I would practically lead people into what they needed to tell me so I could do that for them, as long as I made sure they saw why it happened so they could avoid it next time (usually involved things like total $ amount due exceeding a threshold and having to make a quarterly payment or some such). It certainly sounds to me like you qualify for an abatement, plus you can ask them to explain the rules at the same time so you know what happened for future. I'm sure they won't consider you a big fish they have to worry about for the penalty on $150 in tax.Quote:
Originally Posted by 'd0z3rr',index.php?page=Thread&postID=175510#post1 75510
The best thing about that job is all the inside details it gave me have served me well in my tax dealings since, one should always try to walk a mile in the enemy's shoes, or at least infiltrate a command center once in a while, just for the info. ;)
I'm just the regular kind of libertarian, seeing no need to hold on to the constitution if it doesn't serve us towards the ends of eliminating as much government as humanly possible. Though I see no need to rush out and change it, since there are still trillions of things that can be cut out of government today within the framework. And I don't realistically see us ever paring things down to a point where it would be an issue, it's more likely that the whole thing will collapse under it's own weight first.Quote:
Quoted from "keyclone"
btw... i'm a constitutional libertarian (there's like 5 of us)
Don't be silly. Its more an annoyance at the public facade of either party and the hypocrisy of their statements and actions, namely the irony of the party that wants to raise taxes appointing a bunch of people who don't pay their taxes.Quote:
Originally Posted by '-silencer-',index.php?page=Thread&postID=176963#post176963
(does the following require tinfoil? i dunno... i've been watching the landscape and the players trying to understand it so i can avoid the splatter... sometimes it helps to take the tinfoil off for a bit. oh... and i apologize now for the small wall o' text rant)
the current administration has until about june to crater the economy and still be able to blame the republicans. the current economic situation was manufactured to gain political power for the left. don't think so? look into which party was in-bed (literally) with fannie mae and freddy mac. check to see whose boyfriend was running fannie... and which government oversight committee he ran that was supposed to insure this situation never happened. check out who was saying the mortgage industry was fine... even up to july '08 (you can also find 2 promote politicans trying to fight against that bs in 2002, 2004, and 2005). you should also check to see who was an attorney for the group forcing banks to make bad loans... and his group is about to get something like $1 billion from the 'stimulus' package (a nice little thank you for stuffing 11 states worth of ballot boxes... the fbi has been investigating since november.. don't hold your breath)
it's all amazingly one sided, from a political party standpoint. why doesn't the press start 'investigating' this whole thing? people have been financially hosed... why won't they report on the cause? simple. the press has been biased in one direction since the 60s at least... and they are complicate in putting on this facade.
i anticipate the dems cratering the economy into a 1929-ish scenario. the 'stimulus' bill doesn't even have anything that will help make the economy grow until 3 years from now (helpful)... just in time for the next presidential elections. meanwhile, people will be even more screwed... and will end up either needing social programs or getting closer to needing them. at that point, just like in 1929, the dems will be assured power for 20-40 years... since people will need the social program, they will keep voting in the party of the social program.
could i be wrong? maybe. but then again, i was predicting where we are today about 2-3 years ago (i just didn't think the banks would hold tight for so long)
what can be done on a personal level? that's why i've been studying the playing field... trying to see where/when it's going to go south so i can take advantage/minimize impact. normally, you can depend on the market doing what's best for the market. but when you push $9.7 trillion around to buy up companies and pushing government into corporations, things get wonky. my best guess so far has been gold. it'll keep its buying power... and if the 2nd shoe drops(inflation... we are hitting a bit of deflation while overstocked inventory slows down to meet the reduced demand.. once that's over, in about 8-18 months... inflation would hit), it'll gain strength.
if anyone has any good ideas how to avoid the splatter, besides gold, i'm all ears
Hm, the whole world-economy is going nuts and you complain about high taxes? Reading this post (from a non-american point of view) has given me quite a laugh.
Somewhere on the first page, someone were critizising the dismantling of the US army by reminding us of the 9-11. Well, if your president would have had some self-control you wouldn't have had a couple of planes crashing into your oh so beautiful towers. In Sweden we have this saying - om du ger dig in i leken får du leken tåla - which approximately means: if you started playing the game, make sure you will be able to handle the consequences. You put the highest % of your budget into the army in the whole world! And now with all your enemies you apparently cannot afford to dismantle it, because of the terrorist threat.
I wonder how the feeling of insecurity must be for you just and noble US-citizens. Maybe it might be somewhat similar to what the Iraqies felt when your dropped your bombs. Correct me if I am wrong, but a recent study has shown that the american's are more safe than ever before in history. A dismantle of the army wouldn't be such a bad choice, as you really could use the money. But no, remember the 9-11! It was an attack completelely unprovoced and without reason.
My memory may be failing me, but as I remember you were the one who attacked first.
Additionally, as the war against a country who wanted to, just like you, defend themselves simply wasn't enough, you were taking loanes with your houses as security. This did as we all know, end in one of the worst recessions since... I don't know when actually. But still some of you are debating with such patriotism I could almost expect the whole website to turn red, white and blue.
My point is, from what your beloved country has succeeded to come up with, all you are doing is complaining about your taxes. Shape up!
(Let the flaming begin)
Are you fucking insane?Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Golle',index.php?page=Thread&postID=178244#post17 8244
Wait. I thought 9/11 happened because we helped the Afghans in their war with the Russians, and after it was over we didn't do anything to help the Afghans rebuild their country. That's how I understand it, but Golle, who did we attack first? Remind me please.
The economy, as recognized by a certain portion of our population, is largely a smokescreen that was used to alter the most recent election. And no, I'm not a McCain guy, either.Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Golle',index.php?page=Thread&postID=178244#post17 8244
President who? Clinton? He was on watch when the first attack happened...Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Golle',index.php?page=Thread&postID=178244#post17 8244
Perhaps this should have been communicated to Al Qaeda before this got started, then.Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Golle',index.php?page=Thread&postID=178244#post17 8244
And?Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Golle',index.php?page=Thread&postID=178244#post17 8244
Yeah, war kills innocent people. Do note that the reason the U.S. military casualties would be close to zero if they didn't go out of their way to avoid killing civilians. And yes, I'm against the school of thought that avoids killing civilians just for PR purposes.Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Golle',index.php?page=Thread&postID=178244#post17 8244
I haven't heard that.Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Golle',index.php?page=Thread&postID=178244#post17 8244
We could use the defense more. And while we're at it, don't forget that our military defends a large portion of the world. Europe included.Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Golle',index.php?page=Thread&postID=178244#post17 8244
Military action =/= blowing up civilians. A lot of people think it does, but that's because they have the luxury of staying under our protection to shoot their mouths off.Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Golle',index.php?page=Thread&postID=178244#post17 8244
I'm afraid you're out on your own with this one. Every recession in U.S. history has been worse than this one so far. Every one of them. The only time you're going to hear someone talk about this being the worst recession on U.S. history is if they're fueling a political point.Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Golle',index.php?page=Thread&postID=178244#post17 8244
Right now, our country is screwing itself worse in that we're following failed European economics and going for another bailout. How many countries in Europe are almost wrecked because they couldn't understand how piss-poor an idea government bailouts are? Recall that when the financial sector got into trouble a few months ago, no one suspected it would do anything to the overall economy. The bailouts are what tanked us. And we're just going to tank again when everyone realizes we've jacked up the tax rates for the next generation.Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Golle',index.php?page=Thread&postID=178244#post17 8244
Why so self righteous about the US, or any other country for that matter. Its all crap and we will be all sucking up the smack the people higher up the ladder are making.
Well said.Quote:
Originally Posted by 'keyclone',index.php?page=Thread&postID=178032#pos t178032
Now watch the pundits say that capitalism doesn't work. What they should be saying is, capitalism that's been manipulated beyond recognition can't carry the load of non-participants indefinatly.
Eventually, Atlas shrugs.
You're thinking on this is very similar to my own. I'm not sure whether it's too late for the gold move or not, but don't underestimate the ability of the government to change the rules.
The great FDR (with whom our current administration is so frequently compared) was not above making it illegal to own private gold.
Knobley
Recession?
I'm growing faster this year then any year before.
:>
Economy growth = population growth in the long term. Recessions are just a means to become rich once economy stabelizes later on. Which it will, as we didn't loose consumer growth!
You are so right! Our President shoulda had more self control!..wait you did mean Clinton right? You know, the sex crazed maniac that was sitting in the Oval office getting a BJ when they attacked the Twin Towers the first time. Typical liberals create a mess, make someone else come in to clean it up then blame someone else for creating the mess in the first place.Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Golle',index.php?page=Thread&postID=178244#post17 8244
I agree with Keyclone that this down economy was created by the liberals not only to win the election but to scare us into letting them place more rules and regualtions on the US citizens. The only way most of the crap in the stimuls package could/would ever pass is if the American people were to panicked to care.
i had predicted the 6,000 mark last aug/sep... and if we hit that, 4,500 is the next stop.
1929 would be 3,000
and 0bama is doing nothing to slow this train wreck (actually helping to push it into the ground faster)
if anyone wants to see how we got here, here's a good link (canadian press... so it was allowed to be printed )
You're sooooo cool. I wish I could make shit up and try to hate on the U.S like you. Then I'd be cool like you, you rebel.Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Golle',index.php?page=Thread&postID=178244#post17 8244
Cool as ice. :thumbup:
[align=center]OneBigAssMistakeAmerica[/align]
Fur I can not help laughing my ass off when you go off on this guy with your avatar. Silly Swedes...Quote:
Originally Posted by 'Fursphere',index.php?page=Thread&postID=183681#po st183681
The media in Sweden most likely spins the story a different way. That's the problem with having different countries, different languages, different religions, and different cultures. All of them are right, and the other guy is wrong... I don't think we really need to argue about who has the best country. Sweden remains neutral in most large-scale world affairs, and therefore, shouldn't be allowed to speak on actions taken, I do however, believe they can criticize our culture all they want, that way when they finally decide to take action we too can criticize.
Our economy is screwed not because we were attacked, but because we live in a society that bends to the will of the lowest common denominator. We try to take from the rich and give to the poor by beating the shit out of robin hood, it never quite works... We need to allow the natural progression of capitalism take its course, instead we continue to throw money at the guy that can't control his spending. I think it was best said as "capitalism without failure is like religion without sin."
I'd argue the latest economic meltdown is being caused by and large by a "take from the poor (and middleclass) to give to the rich" mentality, which is to say we have a lot of educated high-up-the-corporate ladder businessmen who for the last decade+ have made millions off America's lavish spending habits, telling them they can pay tomorrow for the crap they want today. Economy boomed, billions were made, and all was well.
Until Tommorow came.
Now we're stuck looking at bankruptcies, foreclosures, and large contractions in consumer spending because people now realize that eventually the bill comes due. The best part is, we're not holding anyone responsible. Bob McMason the CEO gets to resign "in shame" to his millions of dollars and early retirement, thus leaving the current generation to pick up the pieces and figure out who specifically fucked up where.
50 years from now, when economists and historians look at "the 2nd Great Depression", they're going to think the same things we do now about the backwards economics of the early 20th century.
The facts are that its those evil ceo types that are paying the majority of the taxes in the USA. You want to bring them down because they are rich? Then who is going to pay for all the liberal social programs?
Less than four dollars out of every $100 paid in income taxes in the United States is paid by someone in the bottom 50% of wage earners. The top 50% were those individuals or couples filing jointly who earned $26,000 and up in 1999. (The top 1% earned $293,000-plus.) Americans who want to are continuing to improve their lives - and those who don't want to, aren't. Here are the wage earners in each category and the percentages they pay:
Top 5% pay 53.25% of all income taxes (Down from 2000 figure: 56.47%). The top 10% pay 64.89% (Down from 2000 figure: 67.33%). The top 25% pay 82.9% (Down from 2000 figure: 84.01%). The top 50% pay 96.03% (Down from 2000 figure: 96.09%). The bottom 50%? They pay a paltry 3.97% of all income taxes. The top 1% is paying more than ten times the federal income taxes than the bottom 50%! And who earns what? The top 1% earns 17.53 (2000: 20.81%) of all income. The top 5% earns 31.99 (2000: 35.30%). The top 10% earns 43.11% (2000: 46.01%); the top 25% earns 65.23% (2000: 67.15%), and the top 50% earns 86.19% (2000: 87.01%) of all the income.
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/spc.gif
This Doesn't exactly sound like "Take from the poor to give to the rich" to me. How do people who don't pay federal income taxes deserve a tax cut? You wanna see economic stimulus? I say give the business in this country more tax cuts, reduce capital gains taxes, eliminate the "death taxes" and reduce taxes on energy. Where's Ronnie when we need him:(
Indeed.Quote:
Originally Posted by 'dbick',index.php?page=Thread&postID=184628#post18 4628