Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

My Son Did His Taxes for the First Time. Rage Ensued.
Reason ^ | March 3, 2023 | J.D. Tuccille

Posted on 03/04/2023 7:00:49 AM PST by Twotone

Edited on 03/04/2023 1:23:50 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]

Nothing focuses the mind quite so intently on the sheer stupidity of government as doing your taxes. What is taken from us is excessive, the intrusiveness is maddening, and the rules are byzantine, which is the distilled essence of most of our interactions with the state. So, it was with a certain degree of anticipation that I told my son that, after working hard at the supermarket in addition to his homeschooling and martial arts, he would have to file his first tax return. Much fun ensued.


(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: reason; taxation; taxes
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-79 last
To: Twotone

Turbo Tax is easy to use.


61 posted on 03/04/2023 9:47:20 AM PST by Maine Mariner
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Keyhopper

In theory, yes. A forgiven debt is generally considered income, I do believe. What’s the phrase? Imputed income? Something like that.

Pretty sure there are other things that give rise to imputed income, because the partners at my law firm used to have issues with that, but don’t remember why.

I am quite sure the US tax code is too complicated, rife with inequities and stupidities, etc. But my point was that is not generally encountered by a single working person, and no it is not some guessing game.


62 posted on 03/04/2023 10:06:38 AM PST by jocon307 (Democrats delenda est.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator

But if you owe too much you will be fined.

You are right, a refund is the same as an interest free loan to the gummint.


63 posted on 03/04/2023 10:19:53 AM PST by Kenny500c ( )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

Many years ago I realized that the path to create vast political change (of the lower taxes, balanced budgets, smaller government kind) was to require EVERYONE to do quarterly estimated taxes and prepare their own tax returns.


64 posted on 03/04/2023 10:26:12 AM PST by Chewbarkah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

Remember, Trump was demonized for wanting to greatly simplify paying federal income taxes.


65 posted on 03/04/2023 10:52:02 AM PST by simpson96
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Maine Mariner

But they’ll sell your info to Facebook and other companies.


66 posted on 03/04/2023 11:01:57 AM PST by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 61 | View Replies]

To: Kenny500c
Your return is fraud proof if you owe money. Identity thieves can't use your SSN to claim a refund that way. Their computers match the SSN to the account balance, and reject the return.

You don't need to owe a lot...$50 should do it.

I learned this about ten years ago, when my wife was hit by identity thieves. We couldn't file electronically due to the fraud. Every year for the past ten years I've purposely underpaid, and the identity thieves never came back.

67 posted on 03/04/2023 11:06:40 AM PST by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 63 | View Replies]

To: ridesthemiles

KEEP YOUR PAPERWORK a MINIMUM of 7 years.

That’s MINIMUM. Small business owners should keep for longer since audits can be longer than that if there are findings in error at the seven year mark. (Personal experience)

Perhaps that’s not supposed to be the case, but was the reality.


68 posted on 03/04/2023 11:52:40 AM PST by drSteve78 (Je suis Deplorable STILL . )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: Night Hides Not

Shouldn’t the fraud filing fail if anything on it failed to match other documents provided by your employer, banks etc.?


69 posted on 03/04/2023 11:57:47 AM PST by cgbg (Claiming that laws and regs that limit “hate speech” stop freedom of speech is “hate speech”.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 67 | View Replies]

To: drSteve78

The reality.

And whatever you do , Do Not Complain to a supervisor that an agent was uncaring and hard to deal with ( another, friend did this) , for them, it’s a Gold Star.

Instead, as was suggested to me, i wrote a glowing paragraph on how Miss Little and Mr Washington went out of their way to be helpful and show kindness and compassion towards me and my situation.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤭


70 posted on 03/04/2023 11:59:10 AM PST by drSteve78 (Je suis Deplorable STILL . )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

Google Benford’s Law. The IRS refuses to admit they use it. It’s fascinating in a geeky, nerdy sort of way.


71 posted on 03/04/2023 12:04:12 PM PST by muir_redwoods (Freedom isn't free, liberty isn't liberal and you'll never find anything Right on the Left)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cgbg

Good point, but you’re implying an IRS staffer would take that next step.


72 posted on 03/04/2023 12:07:30 PM PST by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: Night Hides Not

My question is whether the IRS computers automatically verify the basic easily available data before cutting a refund check.

I do not know the answer to that question.


73 posted on 03/04/2023 12:12:01 PM PST by cgbg (Claiming that laws and regs that limit “hate speech” stop freedom of speech is “hate speech”.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

Sign up for Medicare. It’s far more complex than doing your taxes.


74 posted on 03/04/2023 12:21:38 PM PST by gitmo (If your theology doesn't become your biography, what good is it?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cgbg

I’m not sure FRiend. You could probably ask a dozen IRS employees, and get a dozen different answers.


75 posted on 03/04/2023 12:35:41 PM PST by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 73 | View Replies]

To: cgbg

There are algorithms, like Benford’s Law that I mentioned, that tell them if a return is reasonable almost immediately.


76 posted on 03/04/2023 1:02:53 PM PST by muir_redwoods (Freedom isn't free, liberty isn't liberal and you'll never find anything Right on the Left)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 73 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

I remember doing my taxes after working for the first time part time in the summer. Mine should have been simple but even back then I knew the tax form made no sense.
Nothing has changed in the 50 years since.


77 posted on 03/04/2023 5:05:30 PM PST by minnesota_bound (Need more money to buy everything now)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Spok

Cancel: “Payroll tax withholding”

Rush is correct.


78 posted on 03/04/2023 5:11:12 PM PST by linMcHlp
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: DoodleBob

Tax due date should be a week or two before Election Day. Folks would still be mad enough to vote the ba$tard$ out!


79 posted on 03/04/2023 11:10:27 PM PST by JimRed (TERM LIMITS, NOW! Militia to the border! TRUTH is the new HATE SPEECH.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-79 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson