There is much talk about a tax bill going through the government process right now. Some say it favors this group and ignores that group and others say that they will not vote for it unless there are changes. That is fine. The Bible is clear and Jesus was very clear, we pay the taxes that are owed. We do if for one simple reason, the government has a sword and can do great bodily harm and even kill. So we pay taxes to stay out of trouble.
Taxes steer the economic direction of a country. If you tax something, you will get less of it. If you subsidize something or give tax credit to something, you will get more of it. That is simple economics. So what a government chooses to tax is what they will get less of and what a government chooses to subsidize, they will get more of it. With the current plan, for example, it is more expensive, tax-wise, to be married than to be single and co-habitate. This is well known. It is called the “marriage penalty” by tax experts. Senior citizens, by the millions, whose spouse has died, have been told by their financial advisor to not remarry because it will deplete their estate. So millions of seniors are either not remarrying or simply living with someone for economic reasons.
Add to this the fact that the primary tax on people is on their income. People will make choices on where they work or how much money they make based on their income tax. Add to this the fact that in many states, like California, people will earn more on welfare than they will on a minimum wage, 40 hour a week job. Tax income, get less of it, subsidize not working and you get more of it.
People also complain that tax changes benefit the rich. About 1/2 of the people in the United States pay no income tax at all. Usually through low income, sometime through shrewd financial planning, 50% of the people do not pay taxes. Add to this the fact that the top 10% of wage earners in the USA pay 90% of the taxes. So reducing taxes will reduce it most on the top 10% of the wage earners, or the rich. Duh.
It is the goal of every American to pay as little tax as possible. People buy houses because there is a tax break (which indicates that government wants people to buy houses). People put money into IRAs and 401(k) plans to avoid taxes. There are thousands of books on Amazon on how to pay less in taxes. There are lawyers who specialize in tax law to help people pay fewer taxes. This is why it was hilarious when candidate Trump was accused to finding tax loopholes. Find the person who voluntarily gives 90% of their money to the government and I will show you a mentally ill person.
Taxes are compulsory. People who cheat the government or who do not pay what is owed will be fined and may end up in jail. So Christians pay taxes, pay as little as legally possible, yet we pay because knowingly breaking the law is not good. Christ himself paid taxes even though he did not have to.
Taxes steer the economic direction of a country. If you tax something, you will get less of it. If you subsidize something or give tax credit to something, you will get more of it. That is simple economics. So what a government chooses to tax is what they will get less of and what a government chooses to subsidize, they will get more of it. With the current plan, for example, it is more expensive, tax-wise, to be married than to be single and co-habitate. This is well known. It is called the “marriage penalty” by tax experts. Senior citizens, by the millions, whose spouse has died, have been told by their financial advisor to not remarry because it will deplete their estate. So millions of seniors are either not remarrying or simply living with someone for economic reasons.Add to this the fact that the primary tax on people is on their income. People will make choices on where they work or how much money they make based on their income tax. Add to this the fact that in many states, like California, people will earn more on welfare than they will on a minimum wage, 40 hour a week job. Tax income, get less of it, subsidize not working and you get more of it.
People also complain that tax changes benefit the rich. About 1/2 of the people in the United States pay no income tax at all. Usually through low income, sometime through shrewd financial planning, 50% of the people do not pay taxes. Add to this the fact that the top 10% of wage earners in the USA pay 90% of the taxes. So reducing taxes will reduce it most on the top 10% of the wage earners, or the rich. Duh.
It is the goal of every American to pay as little tax as possible. People buy houses because there is a tax break (which indicates that government wants people to buy houses). People put money into IRAs and 401(k) plans to avoid taxes. There are thousands of books on Amazon on how to pay less in taxes. There are lawyers who specialize in tax law to help people pay fewer taxes. This is why it was hilarious when candidate Trump was accused to finding tax loopholes. Find the person who voluntarily gives 90% of their money to the government and I will show you a mentally ill person.
Taxes are compulsory. People who cheat the government or who do not pay what is owed will be fined and may end up in jail. So Christians pay taxes, pay as little as legally possible, yet we pay because knowingly breaking the law is not good. Christ himself paid taxes even though he did not have to.
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