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Screw receipts. What I want is a bill. The IRS seems plenty good at figuring out how much I should have paid in taxes and hounding me about it. Why not do th
by jasonkester 16y ago
Screw receipts. What I want is a bill.
The IRS seems plenty good at figuring out how much I should have paid in taxes and hounding me about it. Why not do those calculations in February and send me a bill:
"We calculated that you owe $14,278 in taxes this year. Please submit payment along with the stub below. Alternately, you may choose to submit a tax return for our review."
Government gets their money. I save a bit of hassle in April. Sorted.
I mean sure, they'd end up overcharging you by a few percent, but really that amounts to <$1,000. My time is worth a lot more to me than that. Send me a bill telling me what I owe and I'll pay it.
- TGJ 16y agoI don't think your idea would ever work. I think the way the tax system gets by everyday with all the corruption and waste associated with it is by the simple premise "Out of sight, out of mind". Taxes are paid by the average Joe a little at a time, I think most Joe's would simply freak out if they received a total sum bill at the end of the year. Actually, your idea would work in a perfect system, but we know how rare those are.
- jasonkester 16y agoI imagine they'd keep track of your withholding, so the "bill" would be for the difference between what you'd paid already and what you owe. Just like your current tax return. In the case of a refund, it might even take the form of a check that, if cashed signifies your intention not to file a return.
- TGJ 16y agoWhen you put it like that, I'd sign up.