9b. Re: W2Gs - was [vpFREE] DIAD (long and
>
> I don't especially care for the inept way the government is
> spending the taxes I'm forced to pay. Some of these monies
> don't even go for what they are earmarked to do in a
> specifically named account. So, I don't feel like
> contributing any more taxes than necessary. Also, as
> mentioned, there are plenty of reasons to watch your income
> if you're retired but not rich. Your social security, for
> one, will be taxed and/or reduced if your household income
> exceeds a certain amount, last I heard it was around 34K a
> year, when in fact that social security money was already
> taxed when you paid it in while working. Double taxation
> doesn't seem all too fair to me.
>
>
I agree 100% -- and I'm sure there are other laws we don't agree with, or that we don't think are "fair". And I'm sure that we both occasionally choose some of those that we won't obey. We just need to be aware that when we don't obey the law, there may be consequences if we're caught.
I certainly find the tax laws onerous and the spending poorly done and with bad judgment, from my perspective at least. And I get to try to kick out those responsible every election day (for the first time in my life, I am pretty sure I'm going to vote against all the incumbents above the local level), which is the way we are legally allowed to express our displeasure in the U.S.A.
Since tax law violations, especially intentional non-reporting of income, come with some pretty stiff penalties, and since the courts have never found "I don't think it's fair and they aren't spending it wisely" an adequate defense, I'll stick to rolling through stop signs at intersections where I can see a half mile in all directions, and to going thru a red light at 3am on a road where I can't see another car at all; I can afford the penalties for those offenses.
I know I'm in the minority on this list and that most don't pay their taxes in accordance with the law -- and I'm constantly amazed that they are more than happy to admit this!! Playing video poker is a game of skill and chance; so is playing games with the tax laws, so take your chances in accordance with your risk tolerance!
Personally, I'm a believer in the "disaster avoidance" approach -- don't do the things that can result in the most disastrous outcomes, even if those outcomes are not that likely to happen.
--BG
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