• Stupidmanager@lemmy.worldEnglish
    54·
    5 days ago

    I did the math in the USA. When I was married with kids my effective rate for a the highest year was 52%. My last year as a single male and all kids over 26, it was 46%. Effective, not marginal, because that matters in the USA as we don’t track those “other salary deductions” for taxes. Effective for those ready to argue include stupid shit like deductibles, copays, uncovered care, out of network care (that happens more than you think with kids). one year we spent 40k (max. In network deductible) because one of my kids had a spiral fracture of his leg on a growth section that had he not endured 3 (THREE) surgeries, he would be left side shorter. That was 190k for all surgeries and 40k out of pocket. Dental, HSA, FSA, Vision, Medical… People need to realize that even though its pre tax, you’re still paying for it and that needs to be considered for effective rate.

    I was offered a job in Denmark, so I know this for fact: Denmark was a near match at marginal rate to USA effective rate assuming I never needed critical care in the USA (i would be in debt). BUT, Denmark has effective tax rates in the 40% for those making less than 85k (USD). I think there’s a rich person tax above that at 49%, but I never accepted the job because my Ex wife was a shithead so I didn’t find out.

    I’m now in spain paying around 47% effective, but get Beckhams law will make that be 24% at tax time for the next 10 years. After that I need to pay like everyone else and at 10 years I get a pension (small one) for spain.

    So yes, Americans pay more. Waaaaay more.

    • ranzispa@mander.xyz
      2·
      4 days ago

      190k is a very large amount, I’m not sure if by 40k out of pocket you mean the insurance covered the rest.

      Still, 40k is a lot of money and 190k is pretty much my salary for the next 10 years. I’m sure jobs are a bit better paid in the US; but I’m also quite convinced it is not that common to have that amount of money laying around.

      An expense like that falling on you can definitely ruin your life.

  • bitwolf@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    23·
    4 days ago

    Americans are also obsessed with the notion their taxes would benefit anyone but themselves.

    I don’t understand why no one can grasp the concept. If your taxes benefit you, and the homeless guy on the corner, that means you’re getting more value from your taxes.

    • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
      5·
      4 days ago

      It’s a cultural thing that’s hard to even push back against. Like, I want people to be helped, I want nobody to have to go hungry or have to live on the streets or go broke from medical bills, regardless of how they live, and I know that taxes are the most effective way to do that, but still I find myself instinctively framing it as “taxes are the cheapest way for me to ensure I don’t have to deal with a homeless person begging outside my apartment”

      Also I think the idea that we’re each personally entitled to approve of everything the government spends tax money on is a long game from the right to combat things like pushes for universal health care, government assistance of reproductive healthcare (I first saw this about abortion), and really any form of the government actually helping people instead of demanding charity make up the difference

    • Tattorack@lemmy.world
      5·
      4 days ago

      I argued at length with an American who used to hang out in my friend group for a while. He couldn’t stand the idea that his taxes would pay for anything other than his own problems. He called it “giving free handouts”.

      He’d repeatedly use arguments like “but if my taxes pay for healthcare, I’d be wasting my money on morbidly obese people who created their own problems”.

      He also loved status and exclusivity.

      • Allero@lemmy.today
        4·
        4 days ago

        …and he also fails to note how miserable his life would be if not for taxes from others.

        • Tattorack@lemmy.world
          3·
          4 days ago

          The guy is really well off. Works a desk job pushing finance papers for the American military. He believes his well paid job secures him from relying on anything at all.

    • seejur@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      4 days ago

      I think the problem arises when you pay a crapton on taxes, and then comes a billionaire that makes millions of profits and pays zero.

      So then the average person gets angry about inequality but instead of demanding that everyone pay their share they think “who knows how many other cheaters are out there. If we can’t hold them accountable, then I want to pay less too!”.

      Which of course is the wrong way to go about it but alas

    • matlag@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      2·
      4 days ago

      I’m wondering if that could have ANY relation with oligarchs controlled medias repeating all day long how bad taxes are and how inefficient public anything is.

      Edit: and adding this: conservatives (not MAGA, racists, etc. I mean genuine conservatives) are generally not against the idea of paying to help homeless, poors, etc. They are against the idea to defer that to the government. They want to make donations themselves. That boosts the ego, and that also allows them to cherry pick who deserves their help, and government is inefficient-blablabla. The irony of the logic is non-profit typically spend 20–40% of their budget on fund raising and administration. This is not a very efficient system from an economic standpoint. As for choosing who to help, they end up rewarding marketing skills rather than ranking who needs the most their help.

    • tobebannedbygaymods@lemmy.zip
      1·
      4 days ago

      Considering the rising National debt due to the insane “Proclaimed Defence” cost and the US Aid ti israel and starting wars on its behalf

      I think they are right!

        • Sualtam@lemmus.orgEnglish
          1·
          4 days ago

          It’s already the false assumption that universal healthcare is a luxury you have to afford, while it is much cheaper than for-profit -healthcare. Leaving more ressources available for the military.

    • anon_8675309@lemmy.world
      3·
      4 days ago

      Israel has healthcare paid with taxes. And our taxes fund 12-15% of their military.

      Dems should introduce the same healthcare plan and if anyone votes against it call them antisemitic.

  • mechoman444@lemmy.world
    312·
    4 days ago

    Thank the Lord in heaven, in Jesus name and the holy Trinity there were two red boxes to show me what to read.

    I’d like to thank my parents, my wife, and most importantly my coach. Without them I would be unable to find the red boxes.

  • anon_8675309@lemmy.world
    25·
    4 days ago

    Don’t mention the fact that 40% of premiums go to shareholders and admin fees

    But…. Jackasses will tell you, I don’t have kids, why should I pay for education and daycare? Etc. etc.

    • IAmYouButYouDontKnowYet@reddthat.com
      23·
      5 days ago

      America isn’t about “the people”, it’s just a business. The people are basically products that get sold as a service for the companies anyone wealthy enough.

      It’s like a nation of human trafficking. Marketed and disguised as freedom. Instead of drugs, the “pimp” markets lifestyles to them that hook them into working for less than they are worth or for less honest freedom than a human deserves. The “lifestyles” make the different groups easier to control. Like each lifestyle is a demographic and they get psychologically marketed to.

      Typically if you don’t fit one of their demographics you are an outcast and life is made harder for you on purpose because you are seen as someone that doesn’t contribute to their system. These “outcasts” get “gangstalked” and pressured into fitting into their set demographics. If the person is unable to do that the person is systematically pressured into the prison system, psychiatric system, homelessness, or suicide.

      Part of this psychological idea is that one will hit this man-made manufactured rock bottom and run to the system as a saviour IF they are strong enough to survive it. Oddly enough this aligns with Freemasonry ideology. Being rebuilt from nothing into the ashler, but it’s not something everyone is capable of doing and those that can’t are basically disposable.

      It’s a system that hides in plain sight. If you detox from American culture it becomes more visible but then you also risk getting fucked over for life. That’s why it’s like human trafficking. And once you really see it and understand, you can’t hide from the reality. And the reality is gut wrenchingly surreal.

        • Doomsider@lemmy.world
          1·
          4 days ago

          He would have been the first billionaire adjusted for a inflation if he had not died so young. He was a murderous land hoarder who used slavery and death to turn a profit. The rot was always there.

      • Doomsider@lemmy.world
        1·
        4 days ago

        The government is an abusive partner you can’t escape from and if you do they will try and kill you. It is even worse than being trafficked because there is no escape.

        Why anyone would accept being hostage to this type of lunacy is beyond me yet it appears the entire county does. We deserve better than constant psychological torture and death.

  • thefluffiest@feddit.nl
    262·
    5 days ago

    we ARE socialists AND we’re better at accounting

    Fixed some typos

    Socialism is just smart: organizing expensive stuff at really large scale, without greedy shareholders, just makes it more effective.

    All it takes is an efficiently organized government and a voting system that works for the people, not the elites

  • Tollana1234567@lemmy.today
    13·
    4 days ago

    america is obsessed with taxes of other countries yet they dont like paying taxes in thier own countries, probably projecting and living vacariously through what high taxes can benefit people.