6 ms·

Negative income tax? Does that mean the government pays me to work?

• bell-cot 2y ago
  Yes-ish. But your employer knows. And he might immediately apply "you'll need less money from me, now" logic.
  • hibikir 2y ago
    True, but that part only makes a significant difference if the unemployment rate is quite high. At a time where restaurants have trouble filling their staff in low tip shifts, the salaries are closer to what the employer can pay without serious risk.
  • tejtm 2y ago
    Your employer may already be getting paid by a government for you to work, but that is above your pay grade.
  • exe34 2y ago
    so it's a handout to companies. corporate welfare. probably no worse than currently - a lot of companies in the UK are subsidised via the benefits system because their employees can't afford to live off their wages.
  • rbanffy 2y ago
    That's why it should be enough to provide for basic subsistence.
• boplicity 2y ago
  I think something like this already exists in the U.S. It's called the Earned Income Tax Credit. Low income people may get a tax credit that could result in a bigger refund. Effectively, some people are getting money they woudln't be getting without working. It makes a lot of sense, imo. https://www.irs.gov/publications/p596 https://www.irs.gov/publications/p596
  • otterley 2y ago
    The U.S. Government also pays farmers not to grow crops! See, e.g., the Conservation Reserve Program (https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/conservation-programs/conservation-reserve-program/index https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/conservation-...).
    • az226 2y ago
      And Electric PUCs pay crypto miners not to mine, tens of millions of dollars, more than what they earn from mining.
      • otterley 2y ago
        Have you got a source for this?
• summerlight 2y ago
  Yeap. In fact, it's a more affordable option than UBI and already (partially) implemented across several countries.