Tax Season Blues (1 Viewer)

[Eric_L]

Nobody's expecting a 'win' on a subject as abstracted as what this thread has drifted into. I personally would eat a bug if my idea ever came to fruition anyway - I just love the hypothetical. However - I do insist on intellectual honesty and the statement that the wealthy are able to avoid income tax by shifting income to their children is, well, inaccurate at best but mostly intellectually dishonest. $1400 is the most income which can be transferred to a lower tax rate child. So - unless someone has families of biblical proportion that strategy is inconcenquential to the affluent in avoiding taxes at any meaningful level. Other examples you gave were similarly inaccurate. I don't mean to be a killjoy or play the nee-ner nee-ner card - but I can't let inaccuracy slip - it's just how I am. I thought a clarification might be appreciated.

 

[KurtEP]

Law. My previous background is degree in economics/minor math, MBA and about a year and a half of accounting classwork here and there (Edit: Oh, and 11 years auditing experience). Given your background, you might want to consider trying law. It's a bitch to get used to with a fairly quantitative background, but you should have a good start on the tax stuff. I'll pass on the same advice I got when I started getting interested. Take the LSAT. It'll give you an idea if you have a chance of getting into a decent school, or even an indecent one . Setup for law school is about a year, maybe more, so it doesn't hurt to start early. Honestly, it's fun.

 

[Carl Miller]

I have already admitted that I used avoid and evade interchangeably in error. I've said that at least twice, and restated my position based on that and you continue to ignore this fact.

If admitting an error isn't honest enough for you, then I can only conclude one of three things: Either A) You don't read the posts before you respond; B) You don't know the meaning of the word honesty or; C) "Winning" an argument on an internet forum is far more important to you than it should be.

I'll let you decide what the answer is dude, because I truly do not care...That's how I am.

 

[Carl Miller]

I admire you for going back to school and starting anew like that. One of my friends who is 40 now went back to college four years ago taking night classes to study advertising. He sells buttons by day (literally) in the garment center in Manhattan and is slowly but surely working towards a degree. He says learning is easier when you're older.

Not possible for me to go back to college unfortunately. I have a kid going off to college in fall of 2008 and another 4 years behind. I'm going to have to find something I can step into straight out of retirement from gov't.

 

[DaveF]

I agree no one is going to "win" this argument. But I was hoping you could cogently explain how your concept does not directly tie voting rights to income.

I understand the appeal of your idea: Let those funding the work determine the work. I just find it in complete conflict with our nation's fundamental principles of representative democracy and citizenship.