I wonder if people understand how much tax they actually pay. Many taxes that we pay are carefully organized, so we do not recognize their value. For example, most people are delighted with receiving a tax in April, despite the fact that it was their money, all the time - if each of us every year had to write a single large tax audit, instead of automatically paying wages, I suspect there will be more resistance to income taxation, but since we never see money, we get used to not having money, and we will not miss money. The few percent that we pay for sales tax for individual purchases also look nothing, but when we add up all the purchases we make in a year, it becomes a significant amount of our income.
I collected this study to highlight all the treacherous little taxes that we pay after a year, and how they all add up. If I forgot something, please let me know!
Taxes change every year, so I tried to find and use rates in 2012. Many of the taxes we pay are progressive or locale-specific, so for the purposes of this study, we assume that a single taxpayer living in Westchester County, New York, and for ease of reading, we can call it "Joe" . According to Wikipedia, the average per capita income in 2010 was $ 47,814, so in order for math to be simple, we just round up to $ 50,000 and we leave.
Like many of us, Joe has a W-2 job in which his employer withholds several taxes on behalf of the government. The IRS uses a progressive income tax scale as follows:
Taxes | About taxable
Rate | Income to:
10% | $ 8700
15% | $ 35,350
25% | $ 85650
28% | $ 178650
33% | $ 388350
35% | infinity
Not all Joe's income is taxed — the government allows most single holders to take a standard deduction of $ 5,950 and a personal exemption of $ 3,800 without any documentation or justification, and for many it is much easier (and more economical) than savings. receipts and trying to explain every dollar and mile. So Joe pays 10% of the first $ 7,700 of his taxable income, which is $ 870, plus 15% of the next $ 26,650, which is $ 3,998, plus 25% of the remaining $ 4,900 . The United States, which amounts to $ 1,225, with a total federal income tax of $ 6,093, Nominally, this is already more than nine incomes. By the way, try to imagine what part of the deterrent should earn more than $ 388,350 when more than one third only federal income tax is paid.
The federal government also requires that Joe’s employer leave Joe’s part of his social security and medical care payments, and that they match his portions with their own payments. During 2012, Joe's employer left 1.45% of his salary ($ 725) for Medicare and the company — compared the same percentage and withheld 4.2% of his salary ($ 2,100) for social security and complied with the company 6.2% ($ 3,100). Considering that the parts that were retained are easily calculated and visible to Joe, the amounts corresponding to the company are part of what the company considers Joe worthy, but he never sees that part of what is actually his full compensation package. To explain these parts fairly, we have to change the denominator - Joe's income, so we have to add $ 725 and $ 3,100 to Joe’s compensation for $ 50,000 in order to fairly calculate the percentage of tax he pays. Some may argue that Social Security and Medicare are insurance or retirement plans, so these deductions are actually “premiums” or “contributions” rather than “taxes”, and that Joe can take advantage of these programs later. However, from our point of view, all taxes are forced to "invest" in programs that Joe could or could not support, and in which he had no choice. There is no competition in the market and it is not possible for Joe to customize these programs for his specific insurance or retirement needs or problems. He simply has to pay what the government demands, and can only hope to return the future return if he lives long enough and meets ever-changing criteria.
The latest federal tax is Joe's annual federal unemployment tax. They submit the IRS 940 form annually for a report and transfer 0.6% of the first $ 7,000 they pay to each employee, which in the case of Joe is $ 42. This, like the company's comparable social benefits and Medicare payments, is part of Joe’s cost to the company, but it’s a compensation that he never sees, so we have to add it to both the numerator and the denominator.
Recall that, based on Joe’s actual total compensation of $ 53,867, he still has not paid federal income tax of $ 6,093, $ 725 for Medicare and $ 2,100 in social security, and his employer paid another $ 725 for Medicare, $ 3.100 for social security, and $ 42 for federal unemployment insurance. This amounts to $ 12,785 in deductions, which already account for 24% of its total compensation, and so far we have only considered federal taxes.
Then the state wants to cut it. Joe lives in New York, so he also pays income tax on the state of New York. He works by the same arrangement as the IRS - his employer deducts him from his salary before he ever sees him. Similar to the IRS, NYS uses a progressive income tax scale as follows:
Taxes | About taxable
Rate | Income to:
4.0% | $ 8,000
4.50% | $ 11,000
5.25% | $ 13,000
5.90% | $ 20,000
6.85% | $ 200,000
7.85% | $ 500,000
8.97% | infinity
Like the IRS, the state gives Joe a standard deduction of $ 7,500, but they do not allow personal exemption - only dependent exceptions, from which Joe does not. So Joe pays 4% of his first $ 8,000 of his taxable income, which is $ 320, plus 4.5% of the next $ 3,000, which is $ 135, plus 5.25% of the next $ 2,000. which is $ 105 plus 5.9% of the next $ 7,000, which is $ 413, plus 6.85% of the remaining $ 22,500, which is $ 1,541, with a total state income tax of 2 514 US dollars. Joe is lucky that he does not live in New York or the city of Yonkers, since each of them has additional local income taxes - New York would give him another 1,500 dollars. Until recently, there was even a tax on the suburban residents of New York, who were supposed to benefit from New York, which has subways and buses.
New York State also has its own mandatory unemployment insurance, which, like federal unemployment insurance, is fully paid by the employer. Again, this is compensation that Joe never sees, but it is part of the total compensation package that his company pays on his behalf. To make this calculation more complex, the rate is not the same in all directions; New employers start at a rate of 4.025%, and then it ranges from 1.425% to 9.825%, depending on the employer's rate of contributions paid compared to payments paid. In addition, each company pays 0.075% to the Re-Employment Service Fund, which somehow helps the unemployed re-employed, but I don’t quite understand how to do it. For this study, let us carefully treat each company with a “tax” of at least 1.5%, as for something more, because of the staff’s own mismanagement, although I admit that this may not be entirely fair for companies. Any of these figures is based only on the first $ 8,500 for each employee’s annual compensation, so in Joe’s case, this is another $ 128 to be added to his numerator and denominator.
Employers are also mandated to provide workers with disability compensation and insurance. I can’t speak for all companies, but on condition that my normal rates are, the employee insurance compensation is $ 229 per employee for my company, and disability insurance costs my company $ 60 per employee. Because of this, we pay 60 ¢ per week to our employees for disability insurance, so they pay $ 31.20 (which we will consider as tax), and the company pays $ 257.80, which we add to the numerator and denominator .
Recall that Joe’s federal effective compensation amount was $ 53,867, and he paid or withheld $ 12,785. He now has another $ 2,544 in income tax with NYS, and he pays $ 31.20 for disability insurance, and his employer paid another $ 257.80 for employee insurance and disability insurance and $ 128 for unemployment insurance in new york. This amounts to $ 15,715 in taxes and deductions from its total amount of $ 54,252, which is 29%, with the result that Joe, with the remaining 71% of his salary, $ 38,537, for his life , freedom and the pursuit of happiness.
Where to begin? Well, obviously, Joe will need a place to live. For this study, let's make Joe a homeowner. If he were a tenant, although he did not directly collect property taxes, his landlord would build them in the calculation of his rent, so he would still be worth it, but he gets confused.
The average Westchester County property tax is $ 9,003, but honestly there are probably more families with two incomes. With the amount of net income in the amount of 38.5 thousand dollars. Joe will have difficulty maintaining and paying taxes, insurance, mortgages and utilities for a median home. Although property tax ad valorum, or on the basis of a percentage of the value of the property, and not on the basis of income, the same source indicates that the county tax averages 8.1% of the income, which is a much more plausible number. Municipalities also collect property taxes for schools and the services they provide, and a total combined average tax bill of $ 10,000 in 2011 is reported in the News Journal. Keeping the same ratio, let's consider Joe’s total tax liabilities of 9% of his income, or $ 4,500.
New York Newsday reported that the median selling price of a single family home in Westchester fell to $ 505,500 last quarter, but again, since they are probably mostly bought by families with two incomes, let's cut it in half for Joe, imagining this will be in the amount of $ 252,750. You may be wondering: “Why do we care about how much Joe costs at home?” We don’t, in particular, but if he needs to borrow money to buy him, mortgage loans are taxed. Assuming that he takes a typical 80% of the purchase price, his mortgage tax will be based on $ 202,200. In Westchester, outside of Yonkers, the mortgage tax is 1.3% or US $ 2,629. Technically, Joe pays 1.05%, and his lender pays 0.25%, but since they build it at his interest rate, points or closing, we will consider it effectively paid by Joe. The average person lives in the house for ~ 10 years, so we can allocate his mortgage tax in the amount of $ 263 per year.
Recall that Joe’s total effective compensation after approved federal and state programs was $ 54,252, of which he paid or withheld $ 15,715. His property tax is $ 4,500 per year, and his annual mortgage tax is $ 263. This amounts to $ 20,478 in taxes and deductions, which represents 38% of his income.
After his home, Joe's next biggest expenses may be related to his car. The IRS allows enterprises to depreciate on a vehicle for five years, so for our calculations we assume that Joe keeps his cars each for five years. Every time he buys a car, he will pay the state $ 25 for the plates (if he does not transfer them), $ 50 for the title plus the corresponding sales tax on the car. Most of Westchester (outside the cities) collects 7.375% of the sales tax, and for his salary, let's assume that the car costs $ 7,500. Thus, adding a commission of $ 25 and $ 50 to a $ 553 sales tax, Joe’s $ 628 in taxes and fees, or $ 126 a year, are allocated for five years when he will own by car.
NYS charges a registration fee based on the weight of the vehicle, starting at least $ 32.50 every two years and exceeding $ 140 for the heaviest vans and SUVs. We estimate it at $ 50, or $ 25 per year. On behalf of Westchester County, the NYS DMV also collects a vehicle tax in the amount of $ 30-60 every two years depending on the weight of the vehicle and an "MCTD surcharge" of $ 50 every two years. For our purposes, let's average them and add them to $ 120 every two years, or $ 60 a year, bringing our taxes and fees associated with it to $ 186 a year.
It is good that Joe does not live in New York because the tax on parking in New York is a two-digit percentage of its high cost. Here in Westchester, he probably has a parking place or free parking on the street. Despite this, Joe amounts to $ 20,664 in taxes and government fees, which is 38% of his actual compensation in the amount of $ 54,252, leaving him a little over $ 33,500 to spend, at his discretion.
Based on previous figures and assuming a 4 percent 30-year loan, his mortgage payments are likely to cost him about $ 1,000 a month, and his payment for a car with 0% financing will be $ 1,500 a year, leaving him a little over $ 20,000.
He will need a mobile phone, so let's look at a typical Verizon plan that costs $ 100. Verizon will charge a bunch of premiums, including a federal universal service fee, a regulatory fee, an administrative fee and a check collection allowance, and will charge various direct taxes and government surcharges and fees, including public safety revenues in New York, a fee for 911. Westchester County 911, NYS sales tax, Westchester County sales tax and local sales tax in New York (whatever that is), which adds up to about $ 15 to the monthly bill or $ 180 per year . This will leave him at $ 18,709, and he paid $ 20,844 in taxes and fees.
Several providers compete for the provision of television, Internet and VoIP services. If Joe goes with Optimum's Triple Play package, he will pay $ 84.95 a month for the first year, plus $ 3.90 for television taxes and fees, plus $ 50 for NY national excise taxes for his VoIP line. This leaves Joe at $ 17,636, and he paid $ 20,897 in taxes and fees.
Suppose a monthly utility bill is $ 100. Part of the supply will include ~ $ 2.85 in system fees / renewable portfolios. Standard fees for financing renewable energy, environmental and other related public policy programs, ~ $ 2.34 in temporary Additional payments to the state of New York and ~ 1.73 US dollars in the form of fees and value-added taxes. The sales tax will be applied to both deliveries and delivery, at 3%, which will be 2.91 US dollars. Joe left $ 16,436 and paid $ 21,015 in taxes and fees.
If he drives a typical 10,000 mpg ~ 33 mpg (which can be a generous pattern), he will pass about 300 gallons of gas. The NYS oil tax on gas is 25.8 ¢ / gallon plus 0.35 гал / gal for oil testing fees and discharge fees, so he would pay $ 78.45 for taxes (totaling $ 21,093 dollars) and worth ~ $ 3.75 / Gal, he will have a remaining balance of $ 15,311.
Assuming ~ $ 4,000 goes to tax-free products, ~ $ 1,000 goes to tax-free clothes, and ~ $ 500 goes to tax-free benefits and medical co-payments, Joe will probably get the last $ 9,800 of his pay for taxable meals, entertainment, household goods, cosmetics, etc.which he is likely to pay Westchester sales tax of 7.755%, which is another $ 724. В общей сложности он заплатит 21 816,54 доллара США в виде налогов и санкционированных правительством сборов и надбавок за эффективную общую компенсацию в размере 54 252,30 долл. США, что составляет более 40% его доходов, которые будут платить за программы, предусмотренные правительством и правительством.
Что я забыл? Мост и дорожные пошлины? Налог на парковку и муниципальную парковку? Налоги на авиабилеты, надбавки и пошлины за безопасность? Городская вода и канализация? Проверка транспортных средств? Паспортные сборы? Плата за утилизацию? Доплата за дорожное движение? Небольшие судебные издержки по искам? Разрешения на строительство? Стоимость бухгалтеров и / или альтернативная стоимость времени, потраченного на сбор поступлений, изучение нового налогового кодекса и подготовку этих многочисленных налоговых деклараций?
Джо является конечным потребителем практически всего, что он покупает, но сколько налогов производители этих товаров платят, что способствует цене, которую Джо платит за эти вещи? Например, Джо платит налог с продаж на его билеты в кино, но часть стоимости билетов в кино также оплачивает налоги на недвижимость и налоги на заработную плату, и любые требуемые проверки и разрешения могут потребоваться для управления коммерческим зданием. Часть стоимости его билета на кино идет на оплату налогов на заработную плату талантов и подрядчиков, налог с продаж на реквизит и налоги на недвижимость на звукозаписывающие студии, студии и средства редактирования. Все посредники, участвующие в создании, редактировании и приведении фильма Джо, также платят налоги за свои служебные программы и мобильные телефоны, а также за топливо для своих автомобилей, а стоимость билета Джо должна покрыть его долю в этом , слишком. Все эти другие субъекты также нанимают налоговых бухгалтеров и / или ограничивают свои собственные производительные усилия для подготовки своих налоговых деклараций, а Джо оплачивает часть этого. Наконец, все эти компании также покупают товары и услуги у других организаций, которые устанавливают свои цены с учетом налогов, которые они должны платить. В конечном счете, мы, вероятно, нуждаемся в исчислении, чтобы определить истинную стоимость всех этих налогов.
Когда мы учтем все это, мы увидим, что мы уже живем в стране, где около половины наших производственных усилий присваивается нашим правительством - эффективно, мы рабы в течение половины года.
Когда либертарианцы говорят о сокращении налогов и сокращении правительства, первый вопрос, который поднимают большинство противников, - «Кто будет прокладывать дороги?» Увидев, как мы все равно платим за них, наверняка дороги могут быть приватизированы и управляться на конкурсной основе, используя что-то вроде E-Z Pass для выставления счетов пользователям за пройденное расстояние. Когда правительство просят отречься от себя, как правило, они пытаются сделать его болезненно видимым для трехсторонних участников, угрожая закрыть пожарные дома или уменьшить пикапы для мусора, но поскольку мы уже платим за эти вещи, безусловно, они также могут быть приватизированы , Ваш страховой агент на дому может потребовать оплаченную квитанцию от любой конкурирующей пожарной службы, которую вы выбрали, а Consumer Reports может оценивать их по производительности. Вы могли бы выбрать какую бы конкурентоспособную компанию по удалению отходов вы предпочли, выбрав свой собственный график пикапов и решив, хотите ли вы отсортировать свой собственный мусор или заставить его сделать это за вас - черт возьми, креативная компания может даже вернуть вам свои банки и бутылки, для уменьшения вашего счета.
Налогоплательщики опасаются, что они в конечном итоге заплатят за то, что они сейчас получают за «свободный», но это не совсем так - они будут использовать деньги, которые на самом деле коварно берут у них, чтобы оплачивать эти «свободные» вещи, но они может быть более избирательным и скромным на конкурентном рынке. Исходя из того, что правительство стоило нам половины наших производственных усилий, страна, лишенная правительства, дала бы нам удвоить наш нынешний эффективный доход, чтобы предоставлять эти услуги для себя. Прежде, чем люди неправильно поняли это и прыгнули со всех сторон, я не предлагаю, чтобы мы стремились стать анархисткой страной. Я предлагаю вернуться назад в направлении минимального правительства, которое дали нам наши отцы-основатели, и мы перестаем смотреть на правительство решить многие из наших проблем - они, как известно, плохо в этом, и они вытесняют конкуренцию от предоставления нам лучшего выбора.
