> I do take advantage and do not lift a finger to achieve it, because the tax man knows about this already.
I think you're mistaken. The tax man does not already know what charitable donations I've made, or depreciation I would like to claim, or ....
> IMHO, you are overcomplicating things. If tax laws are as complex as you wish them to be, if the tax-man cannot know what you owe to it - then it's just a very good environment for the wealthy not to pay anything, while screwing over other 99% with over complicating things.
As an aside, I do not have any wishes regarding the tax system one way or the other. I'm only subject to the tax laws, I don't really care what they are.
The Tax Man® knows what you owe based on income that has been reported to it by places like your job, but only if your work does withholding and reports it to the IRS. It could report it without withholding (I think?), or you could be getting a 1099. If all the income from your 1099s is reported accurately and timely, this would be similar to a place that gives you a W2. This doesn't always happen, or there could be disputes.
> I do not pay taxes in the US and unless you have a company, I guess 99% of individuals do not need to do any taxes at all, i.e. just confirm what the tax agency already knows about them.
I doubt it's anywhere close to 99% :)
Optional things that the government might not know about: kids, charities, investments, depreciation, rebate programs (like solar, cash for clunkers, etc), inheritance, mileage deductions, moving across state lines, getting divorced, getting married, becoming a widow, losing a child, etc. There's a ton of stuff that the government doesn't know about _unless you tell it_.
If I make a bunch of money mowing lawns, my neighbors probably aren't sending me 1099s, but I really probably should report that income and pay taxes on it. The government wouldn't know about it unless I reported it (which is why a lot of folks don't bother reporting income like that, especially if it's a small enough amount).
I think you're mistaken. The tax man does not already know what charitable donations I've made, or depreciation I would like to claim, or ....
> IMHO, you are overcomplicating things. If tax laws are as complex as you wish them to be, if the tax-man cannot know what you owe to it - then it's just a very good environment for the wealthy not to pay anything, while screwing over other 99% with over complicating things.
As an aside, I do not have any wishes regarding the tax system one way or the other. I'm only subject to the tax laws, I don't really care what they are.
The Tax Man® knows what you owe based on income that has been reported to it by places like your job, but only if your work does withholding and reports it to the IRS. It could report it without withholding (I think?), or you could be getting a 1099. If all the income from your 1099s is reported accurately and timely, this would be similar to a place that gives you a W2. This doesn't always happen, or there could be disputes.
> I do not pay taxes in the US and unless you have a company, I guess 99% of individuals do not need to do any taxes at all, i.e. just confirm what the tax agency already knows about them.
I doubt it's anywhere close to 99% :)
Optional things that the government might not know about: kids, charities, investments, depreciation, rebate programs (like solar, cash for clunkers, etc), inheritance, mileage deductions, moving across state lines, getting divorced, getting married, becoming a widow, losing a child, etc. There's a ton of stuff that the government doesn't know about _unless you tell it_.
If I make a bunch of money mowing lawns, my neighbors probably aren't sending me 1099s, but I really probably should report that income and pay taxes on it. The government wouldn't know about it unless I reported it (which is why a lot of folks don't bother reporting income like that, especially if it's a small enough amount).
I'm not a tax lawyer, nor a tax expert.