The entire IRS code is a scam designed to support career politicians. It is far past time to implement another system --- one that is truly fair and does not punish achievers while rewarding slackers, schemers and politically connected looters.
The IRS code is so convoluted that even the IRS does not understand it. It is capricious. It assumes that the government has a claim on any amount of income they choose to sieze from you, but then graciously allows us to retain some of that income via 'deductions' which we are supposed to be grateful for.
They can reward who they want to keep more, and to punish those they choose to by taking more. And it never actually touches really serious wealth -- see six generations of the Kennedy clan, none of whom have ever earned an honest dollar, still living like royality on income earned a hundred years ago. And the Kennedy's are far from the only ones.
That's because it's an income tax, not a wealth tax.
Too many folks have been brainwashed into thinking that the Federals tax the wealthy (those who already have wealth) when in fact the Federals tax those who are trying to become wealthy by generating income, particularly non-investment income such as wages and self-employment income.
In other words, the bastards with money are using the Federal (and to some extent, the various States') tax codes not only as a means of keeping people from accumulating wealth but also manipulating their behaviors (through the carrot-and-stick system of deductions and credits).
Amen!
“They can reward who they want to keep more, and to punish those they choose to by taking more.”
It’s this system that politicians use to divide us up into us and them.
Waiting for Congress to determine what kind of and what size of a deduction or credit one might be eligible for based on personal circumstances is not the position of a free man.
It’s not much different than people who are dependent on a government check wondering how much they will be given this year. Very sad.