How can the government justify taking 40% of someones wages?

Question

I think its when someone earns over 40,000 a year, they get taxed 20% on the 40 and then 40% on what ever they make after that.

How can the government justify taking such a large percentage of someones hard earned money?

Answer 1

The government officials needs more money to corrupt and this perception must be stopped by filing cases against the violators.

Answer 2

Ask the Democrats, they want to take ever more!!!  Wake up America!

Answer 3

So, if I work harder, and earn more, I should have to pay more?  When did we become a Communist nation?  Why is anyone "entitled" to what I have earned through hard work?  I am well into this tax bracket, and I work 80+ hours most weeks.  Tell me, who deserves my money?    

I would be happy to give to all kinds of causes (schools, etc.) if I wasn't being robbed on payday.  I understand that some taxes are a necessity, but this government has gotten out of hand.  My earned money is being turned into food stamps and wic programs for the lazy.  

News Flash:  The government wasn't created to "take care" of you.  it is here to govern.   I worked hard to get where I am, and now our society wants to remove all incentives?  Why don't we all just stay home and be happy with our high school GED's and our jobs at Burger King.  There is no point in working hard when you can just get stuff for free.

Answer 4

I'm surprised they're not taking more. The government are scum. We need to pay for wars (doesn't matter about the homeless though). Grrr

Answer 5

Actually, the tax may be higher than that - if you count the 7.65% of the Social Security tax paid by your employer (or yourself if you are self employed)  - The people who said your math is  way off, are wrong. -

I did a quick test with the tax preparation program "Tax Cut" - I assumed that a self employed  unmarried person who did not itemize his deductions had income only from self-employment of $40,000.  The income tax was $3,873 plus $5,652 for  self-employment (Social Security) tax, a total of $9,525 - I then assumed that self-employment income increased by $10,000 to $50,000.  The income tax increased to $5,855 and the self-employment tax increased to $7,065, a total of $12,920,  an increase of $3,395 (33.95%) - However, these figures do not include state income tax, which in my state would be at  9.6%  at this level of income nor,  does it include other required deductions such as deductions for state disability or unemployment insurance.

As to how it is justified:

- The Social Security Tax is earmarked for your retirement - Its like savings. You are not really being taxed - However, as  President Bush has pointed out - the surplus  that is not immediately needed to pay benefits, is being borrowed and spent by the rest of the government as fast as it comes in and replaced with a file cabinet full of IOUs.  - It will be inconvenient to pay the surplus back when it is needed to pay benefits. - therefore Social Security is in crisis and must be reformed. This kind of thinking is what George Orwell called "Double Think"

- We need to preserve the 15% Capital Gains and Dividend tax rate, to keep the economy growing and encourage people to invest.  People who actually work for a living are suckers.

- We are the world Policeman. We spend more on our military than all of the other countries in the world combined - so we can't expect to have as high a standard of living as other industrialized countries (where they have universal health care and take the entire month of August for vacations).  Even though you are in the 40% tax bracket, the government is running at a big deficit.  - The interest on the National Debt totals almost  400 billion dollars per year. - So don't be surprised if your taxes go up.

Things could be worse. When the Beatles found themselves in the 95% tax bracket, they wrote these lyrics:

"Let me tell you how it will be

There's one for you, nin'teen for me

Cause I'm the Tax Man

Yea I'm the Tax Man

Should five percent appear too small

Be thankful I don't take it all"

Of course, they had the advantage of being richer than you.

Answer 6

Yes, but you're talking in terms of black and white - there's a whole lot of grey too.  Not everyone on benefits "scrounge" or "don't work a single day".  Some are in dire staits through no fault of their own, disabled, widowed, injured, intellectually below normal, failed business enterprise, the elderly etc etc.....those people need to be looked after in society.  A society which neglects its weakest citizens is no society at all and would soon fall apart.  

Anyway, in the 1970s my dad paid 60% tax under a previous Labour government and he did so gladly so help provide for those in a worse position that him.  Don't be selfish.  It isn't pretty.

Answer 7

Two ways.

Firstly those who earn more pay more seems pretty fair.

Secondly because schools, defence, public services etc need to be paid for.

Those are the justifications

Answer 8

They can do anything they want unless we the people change that tax law.

Answer 9

joe49120 is on target------but the only thing needed is to administer the present laws correctly and receipts from labor would not be taxed. Enough research will prove this to be true, and many, many people know this fact, and are acting accordingly.  

Answer 10

It's to pay for all the liberal programs like free medical to all Illegal Immigrants. Welfare for those libs to lazy to work. Any other wasteful spending that is going on.

Just 100 years ago there were no taxes PERIOD, and we as a nation were the most wealthy that has ever exsisted.

Answer 11

do they need justification? er, no.  

Answer 12

thats not how our tax system works. o, wait im from the states. idk where you're from? in the US the tax rate isn't 40% for any tax bracket at the moment.

And i dont know the actual rationale behind it. I can think of my own reasons, but it doesn't work for every case (like i think britney spears needs to be liberated of her cash, but Gates deserves every penny). I guess you could say its an incentive to invest in things that get you a tax deduction thereby saving some money and also stimulating the economy, but there are people that argue taxing that money stifles the economy. Who knows :]

Answer 13

  How?  Because someone has to pay for the War on Terror.  Somebody has to pay for our men and women in Afghanistan chasing down bin Laden.  Someone has to pay for those bombs, spy planes and gasoline.

  

Freedom isn't free.  Pay for it.  

Answer 14

Your math is off by a lot, but the reason the government takes taxes is because the need it.

Answer 15

They will just tell us we are lucky that we get to keep the rest.

Answer 16

Because they need to pay there own wages .... when all they do is sit on there backsides!!!!

Answer 17

First, it's not your money. It belongs to the government that printed it. So, if the people in power, the ones with the armies of armed police, allow you any at all, consider yourself blessed. As long as you survive, they can take what they want from you.  

Answer 18

How do they justify it?

Roads, Schools, Hospitals, Missiles, Libraries, Police, Nurses, Disability benefit,Troubled banks, Doctors, Refuse collection, the Navy, prisons, your MP, flood defences, crown prosecution service, social services, post offices. the Olympics etc etc etc

How would you generate the revenue?

Answer 19

Because the House of Appropriations likes to pass pork spending items (like a teapot museum)  Much of these pork bills actually benefit the Congressmen/women personally.  They are getting rich building freeways alongside their own property, or starting companies with taxpayer money and hiring their family so they can take in millions then go bankrupt. (Fox news "Porked")