4 ms·

If you live in the UK, income tax is 45%, and you still cannot rely on either of public education or public healthcare, at least if you want something of good q

If you live in the UK, income tax is 45%, and you still cannot rely on either of public education or public healthcare, at least if you want something of good quality.

pizzaknife 3y ago
you should consider disposing of a significant swath of tea in the local harbor
frereubu 3y ago
Income tax in the UK is 45% only on the portion over £125,140 (~ $160,000) a year: https://www.gov.uk/income-tax-rates https://www.gov.uk/income-tax-rates
- mgaunard 3y ago
  Principal software engineer positions and above frequently reach $1M per year.
  - kiitos 3y ago
    They do not.
    - mgaunard 3y ago
      Just look up how much a L8 makes at Google.
burnished 3y ago
It is 20% up to 37k, 40% after that through 125k, and 45% after that. The US federal income tax is graduated much more finely but hits 12% between 10k and 42k and 22% from there to 89k, and 24% until 140k. This neglects any state income or sales tax as well.
- EduardoBautista 3y ago
  US sales taxes are about half of most European countries, which have VAT.
  - Dalewyn 3y ago
    Just stopping by to mention, for the non-Americans, that taxes as in the plural is important here: Sales taxes here in the US vary at the municipal, county, and state levels and any or all can apply towards your purchases at the same time.
    - IIsi50MHz 3y ago
      From earlier HN threads, it seems that: - When you contact government offices to ensure you're paying the right taxes on the right things, it's very difficult to get a real answer. Many of them just outright do not know, and rely on "a good-faith effort". - The situation is so convoluted that their are specialist companies which sell you the idea that they can take care of it for you, yet want you sign a contract that says they're not liable for any problems.
- mgaunard 3y ago
  The highest band is the only one that matters really, at least if we're talking about people that could freely choose to work in either country at top tech companies.
  - badcppdev 3y ago
    We are not concerned with people on high salaries. They can hopefully take care of themselves. Far more important to talk about low, average and median earners for I hope obvious reasons.
  - burnished 3y ago
    Not really concerned about the people for whom the top bracket represents most of their taxable income. Even well paid developers have most of their income taxed below that rate anyway.
StimDeck 3y ago
[dead]
agloe_dreams 3y ago
US income tax inclusive of state taxes rolls to something like 33%...but then you have health insurance that, for many is FAR greater than 12%. If you include the cost of what your taxes get you, it is far greater than in the US. Keep in mind that even with health insurance people still get multi-hundred dollar medical bills. Broken bones? Min of $1500.
- mgaunard 3y ago
  A private consultation is typically 200 GBP in London, any minor injury would easily cost you around the amount you say. Or you can go to A&E and wait 8 hours, and have it be free.
  - monknomo 3y ago
    here you get the wait and you get to pay the private price, on top of your insurance. At least for me, regular medical care needs scheduled out some months, doctors have poor availbility. I get one freebie a year via insurance, everything else is about $50. For minor injuries, or medical stuff that needs same-day eyes, but not a full emergency department, there is urgent care. You wait as long as it takes, in my area, usually 30-90 minutes, pay $100 and they may or may not be able to help. Minor prescriptions and stitches they can usually do For major stuff, such as broken bones, heart attack, psychosis, whatever, there is the ER. You wait as long as you wait, and it's about $300 for the initial visit, though this can climb rapidly if you need to stay. That's about it for your insured options. Your uninsured options are similar, but more expensive. If you are extremely poor, or old, or both you may have a semi-free option with medicare and medicaid, but that is more complicated than I care to type out.

If you live in the UK, income tax is 45%, and you still cannot rely on either of public education or public healthcare, at least if you want something of good quality.

pizzaknife 3y ago

you should consider disposing of a significant swath of tea in the local harbor

frereubu 3y ago

Income tax in the UK is 45% only on the portion over £125,140 (~ $160,000) a year: https://www.gov.uk/income-tax-rates https://www.gov.uk/income-tax-rates

mgaunard 3y ago
Principal software engineer positions and above frequently reach $1M per year.
- kiitos 3y ago
  They do not.
  - mgaunard 3y ago
    Just look up how much a L8 makes at Google.

burnished 3y ago

It is 20% up to 37k, 40% after that through 125k, and 45% after that. The US federal income tax is graduated much more finely but hits 12% between 10k and 42k and 22% from there to 89k, and 24% until 140k. This neglects any state income or sales tax as well.

EduardoBautista 3y ago
US sales taxes are about half of most European countries, which have VAT.
- Dalewyn 3y ago
  Just stopping by to mention, for the non-Americans, that taxes as in the plural is important here: Sales taxes here in the US vary at the municipal, county, and state levels and any or all can apply towards your purchases at the same time.
  - IIsi50MHz 3y ago
    From earlier HN threads, it seems that: - When you contact government offices to ensure you're paying the right taxes on the right things, it's very difficult to get a real answer. Many of them just outright do not know, and rely on "a good-faith effort". - The situation is so convoluted that their are specialist companies which sell you the idea that they can take care of it for you, yet want you sign a contract that says they're not liable for any problems.
mgaunard 3y ago
The highest band is the only one that matters really, at least if we're talking about people that could freely choose to work in either country at top tech companies.
- badcppdev 3y ago
  We are not concerned with people on high salaries. They can hopefully take care of themselves. Far more important to talk about low, average and median earners for I hope obvious reasons.
- burnished 3y ago
  Not really concerned about the people for whom the top bracket represents most of their taxable income. Even well paid developers have most of their income taxed below that rate anyway.

StimDeck 3y ago

[dead]

agloe_dreams 3y ago

US income tax inclusive of state taxes rolls to something like 33%...but then you have health insurance that, for many is FAR greater than 12%. If you include the cost of what your taxes get you, it is far greater than in the US. Keep in mind that even with health insurance people still get multi-hundred dollar medical bills. Broken bones? Min of $1500.

mgaunard 3y ago
A private consultation is typically 200 GBP in London, any minor injury would easily cost you around the amount you say. Or you can go to A&E and wait 8 hours, and have it be free.
- monknomo 3y ago
  here you get the wait and you get to pay the private price, on top of your insurance. At least for me, regular medical care needs scheduled out some months, doctors have poor availbility. I get one freebie a year via insurance, everything else is about $50. For minor injuries, or medical stuff that needs same-day eyes, but not a full emergency department, there is urgent care. You wait as long as it takes, in my area, usually 30-90 minutes, pay $100 and they may or may not be able to help. Minor prescriptions and stitches they can usually do For major stuff, such as broken bones, heart attack, psychosis, whatever, there is the ER. You wait as long as you wait, and it's about $300 for the initial visit, though this can climb rapidly if you need to stay. That's about it for your insured options. Your uninsured options are similar, but more expensive. If you are extremely poor, or old, or both you may have a semi-free option with medicare and medicaid, but that is more complicated than I care to type out.