Should the government get your paycheck first?

[SkyPiggie 0]

UK Proposes All Paychecks Go to the State First

"The UK's tax collection agency is putting forth a proposal that all employers send employee paychecks to the government, after which the government would deduct what it deems as the appropriate tax and pay the employees by bank transfer. The proposal stresses the need for employers to provide real-time information to the government so that it can monitor all payments and make a better assessment of whether the correct tax is being paid..."

http://www.cnbc.com/id/39265847

Do you trust the government with your paycheck?

[Andy9o8 2]

Quote

UK Proposes All Paychecks Go to the State First

"The UK's tax collection agency is putting forth a proposal that all employers send employee paychecks to the government, after which the government would deduct what it deems as the appropriate tax and pay the employees by bank transfer. The proposal stresses the need for employers to provide real-time information to the government so that it can monitor all payments and make a better assessment of whether the correct tax is being paid..."

http://www.cnbc.com/id/39265847

In terms of net effect - logistics aside - is this not virtually what is already done in the US with all W-2 employees - get a paycheck with the taxes, etc. deducted and pre-paid over to the taxing authorities?

[beowulf 1]

No it's not the same thing.

The taxes are estimated and paid by the company. The company usually over pays on taxes so that is why I nearly always get a tax return at the end of the year. That is a big difference from sending the whole check to the Gov and then the Gov paying me.

[Andy9o8 2]

In an ideal world, the net result shouldn't be all that different. I suppose the big difference is one of process: the government becomes a short-term escrow holder of your entire paycheck. And, I suppose if someone fucks up, you could be SOL until you get it straightened out.

[airdvr 210]

It's in the way that you phrase the question. Right now, my employer withholds monies from my pay. The employer has a fiduciary responsibility to forward that money on to the government. If it doesn't happen the government goes after the employer.

Not certain what the motivation would be to change that system here. Quite certain there are tons of folks working under the table, but this system woudn't prevent that. Contract workers who really aren't? Possibly.

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[PhreeZone 20]

One of the largest changes I could see coming from a program like this is that tax rates could be changed mid year and apply to withdrawls instantly. Come October you see there is a larger debit then expect? Pass a "temporary" act to increase the tax revenues for the remainder of the year until you get to a new budget. Stupid idea if I've seen one.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Andy9o8 2]

Quote

One of the largest changes I could see coming from a program like this is that tax rates could be changed mid year and apply to withdrawls instantly. Come October you see there is a larger debit then expect? Pass a "temporary" act to increase the tax revenues for the remainder of the year until you get to a new budget.

Could that not already be done, for example, in the US with W-2 workers? That is, pass (and have the president sign) a mid-year tax increase, effective immediately, with employers being required to adjust withholdings accordingly after the effective date?

[rushmc 23]

Quote

UK Proposes All Paychecks Go to the State First

"The UK's tax collection agency is putting forth a proposal that all employers send employee paychecks to the government, after which the government would deduct what it deems as the appropriate tax and pay the employees by bank transfer. The proposal stresses the need for employers to provide real-time information to the government so that it can monitor all payments and make a better assessment of whether the correct tax is being paid..."

http://www.cnbc.com/id/39265847

Do you trust the government with your paycheck?

I think everyone should get their gross check and then have to write a check to the gov for the taxes and fees due.

Want to see a revolt? THIS would do it

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[billvon 3,120]

>I think everyone should get their gross check and then have to write
>a check to the gov for the taxes and fees due.

A great many people do. There are a lot of self-employed people and contractors who get money directly from customers, employers etc and then have to write a check to the government. That's how I handle the money I make teaching. How would this "make a revolt?"

[beowulf 1]

Quote

In an ideal world, the net result shouldn't be all that different. I suppose the big difference is one of process: the government becomes a short-term escrow holder of your entire paycheck. And, I suppose if someone fucks up, you could be SOL until you get it straightened out.

This is far from an ideal world. I wouldn't want to fight the Gov for losing my check. The fewer people touching my check the better.

[rushmc 23]

Quote

>I think everyone should get their gross check and then have to write
>a check to the gov for the taxes and fees due.

A great many people do. There are a lot of self-employed people and contractors who get money directly from customers, employers etc and then have to write a check to the government. That's how I handle the money I make teaching. How would this "make a revolt?"

You are in the minority as it is required that employers (for the most part) withhold taxes and send them in. This creates a situtation where many just look at the net and take little note of what the gov confiscates.

Attitudes would change greately if many truly understood the level of "with holding" they really function under

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[billvon 3,120]

>You are in the minority as it is required that employers (for the
>most part) withhold taxes and send them in.

Right - for my "primary" job that's exactly what they do.

But that's up to me. If I didn't want them to do that I could claim half a dozen exemptions and reduce my withholding to almost zero. So could you. (Of course, you'd have to pay that back later, with penalties.)

How would that cause a revolt? I'm still not getting it.

>Attitudes would change greately if many truly understood the level
>of "with holding" they really function under

Are you saying that most people cannot read a check stub? Who do you know who is incapable of doing that?

[rushmc 23]

Quote

>You are in the minority as it is required that employers (for the
>most part) withhold taxes and send them in.

Right - for my "primary" job that's exactly what they do.

But that's up to me. If I didn't want them to do that I could claim half a dozen exemptions and reduce my withholding to almost zero. So could you. (Of course, you'd have to pay that back later, with penalties.)

How would that cause a revolt? I'm still not getting it.

>Attitudes would change greately if many truly understood the level
>of "with holding" they really function under

Are you saying that most people cannot read a check stub? Who do you know who is incapable of doing that?

No
What a I am saying is most pay little attention to what is really withheld from their paycheck and why. IF they had to write the checks everyother week they would start asking why because they would now understand how much is really taken from them

The revolt would then come at the ballot box. Those who say the gov should have less would be in power quickly. And they would stay as long as they kept their word

You understand it, I understand it. Sadly the majority of tax payers do not

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[billvon 3,120]

>What a I am saying is most pay little attention to what is really withheld
>from their paycheck and why. IF they had to write the checks everyother
>week they would start asking why because they would now understand how
>much is really taken from them.

Well, you'd never have to write checks every other week. You can get your withholding to nearly zero and then pay quarterly if you wanted to. That would be four checks a year; the quarterly payments lets you avoid penalties. Indeed, when I make money from stock sales I often do have to file quarterly payments via the 1040-ES. (You can also pay once a year but you'd get hit with penalties.)

And again, you can do that too. You can reduce your withholding and pay via the 1040-ES. I don't do that because frankly it's a pain in the butt to have another check to write.

You seem to be saying that most people are willing to pay a large percentage of their income as taxes as long as they don't have to fill out a check four times a year. If that's true, and people are really that stupid, then we're sunk anyway; democracy doesn't work when most people are idiots.

[turtlespeed 226]

Since it is in the UK - I am all in favor of it. Let that program be initiated and then let the US learn from their mistake . . . Money matters, when applied directly to an individual income, will make a bigger impact than the politicians believe it will.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[turtlespeed 226]

Quote

In terms of net effect - logistics aside - is this not virtually what is already done in the US with all W-2 employees - get a paycheck with the taxes, etc. deducted and pre-paid over to the taxing authorities?

Sweet! Great idea . . . maybe they can pay our bills for us too.

They could even manage our entertainment and our eating habits.

Edited to add: I would consider this a good source, unless you think the ACLU is a biased unreliable source.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[rushmc 23]

I know all of the ways taxes can be paid Bill

All I am saying is most pay little attention to what they pay

If all that changes is they have to write a check (lets say monthly as the gov would not allow quarterly for most employee type payments as the money would most likely not be there) as opposed to having it withheld the attitudes would change

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[turtlespeed 226]

Quote

I know all of the ways taxes can be paid Bill

All I am saying is most pay little attention to what they pay

If all that changes is they have to write a check (lets say monthly as the gov would not allow quarterly for most employee type payments as the money would most likely not be there) as opposed to having it withheld the attitudes would change

As this economy dwindles even more, you will see an awareness of ones money come back to what it was around the 30's and 40's.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[wmw999 2,589]

That's true. Of course, the amount for the same services would probably be greater, because the cost of collections would go up.

Should be vote individually on which services should be provided? And what do we do with all of the people who "vote" by just doing what they want to anyway?

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[shropshire 0]

If they asked me for my 'paycheck' I'd ask then what the fuck they were talking about... if thay are so stupid that they can't spell Pay Cheque correctly ... fuck them

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[christelsabine 1]

Quote

If they asked me for my 'paycheck' I'd ask then what the fuck they were talking about... if thay are so stupid that they can't spell Pay Cheque correctly ... fuck them

dudeist skydiver # 3105

[Andy9o8 2]

Quote

If they asked me for my 'paycheck' I'd ask then what the fuck they were talking about... if thay are so stupid that they can't spell Pay Cheque correctly ... fuck them

If the English are so stupid they have to spell their English in French ... well then who's really stoopid?

[Andy9o8 2]

Quote

How would this "make a revolt?"

http://shrinkwrapped.blogs.com/.a/6a00d83451b8f869e20120a7f2b601970b-800wi

[rushmc 23]

Quote

Quote

How would this "make a revolt?"

http://shrinkwrapped.blogs.com/.a/6a00d83451b8f869e20120a7f2b601970b-800wi

If the king were black with big ears you would really have something

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[Bolas 5]

Quote

Quote

UK Proposes All Paychecks Go to the State First

"The UK's tax collection agency is putting forth a proposal that all employers send employee paychecks to the government, after which the government would deduct what it deems as the appropriate tax and pay the employees by bank transfer. The proposal stresses the need for employers to provide real-time information to the government so that it can monitor all payments and make a better assessment of whether the correct tax is being paid..."

http://www.cnbc.com/id/39265847

Do you trust the government with your paycheck?

I think everyone should get their gross check and then have to write a check to the gov for the taxes and fees due.

Want to see a revolt? THIS would do it

Good thing they already took all their guns then. Makes squashing the opposition much easier for a tyrannical government.

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.