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No matter how complicated the tax code, the government know in advance how much you should pay. (Imagine the code was so complicated that they didn’t know, and
by willvarfar 7y ago
No matter how complicated the tax code, the government know in advance how much you should pay.
(Imagine the code was so complicated that they didn’t know, and they relied on your honesty. How well would that work?)
In all the countries I’ve lived, the government simply tells you that number. You can dispute it if you think it wrong.
In the US, you have to tell them that number, and you had better have added it up right because they can trivially check. Oh, and you pay for this privilege?
- harryh 7y agoNo matter how complicated the tax code, the government know in advance how much you should pay. This is not true. Just as an example, I have various business expenses that I incurred while consulting last year. The government has no way of knowing in advance what those expenses are.
- willvarfar 7y agoYes. This is normal in all those countries with free easy tax filing. I regularly adjust the number, claiming various expenses etc. I have been audited twice, which was actually a lot less scary than it sounds. This is normal, easy and doesn’t cost and doesn’t even need complicated software. I have filled in forms, but I believe you can also do it online in the country I’m talking about now.