Tax Freedom Day - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Cynthetiq · 03-30-2010, 03:08 PM

When is yours?

Mine, April 23rd, 113 days into the year, ranked #3.

Quote:

America Celebrates Tax Freedom Day®

America Will Work One Day More for Government in 2010 than in 2009; Recession and Tax Cuts Have Made Tax Freedom Earlier

Tax Freedom Day will arrive on April 9 this year, the 99th day of 2010, according to our annual calculation using the latest government data on income and taxes. Americans will work well over three months of the year—from January 1 to April 9—before they have earned enough money to pay this year's tax obligations at the federal, state and local levels.
This year's Tax Freedom Day is one day later than in 2009, but more than two weeks earlier than in 2007. The shift toward a lower tax burden since 2007 has been driven by three factors: (1) The recession has reduced tax collections even faster than it has reduced income; (2) President Obama and the Congress have enacted large but temporary income tax cuts for 2009 and 2010, just as President Bush did in 2008; and (3) Two significant taxes were repealed for 2010 as part of previous legislation, the estate tax and the so-called PEP and Pease provisions of the income tax.

Despite all these tax reductions, Americans will pay more taxes in 2010 than they will spend on food, clothing and shelter combined.

Taxes and the Federal Deficit

Tax Freedom Day does not count the deficit even though deficits must eventually be financed. Since 1948, when Tax Freedom Day was first calculated, the difference between what governments are spending and what they're collecting has never been as great as during 2009 and 2010. If Americans were required to pay for all government spending this year, including the $1.3 trillion federal budget deficit, they would be working until May 17 before they had earned enough to pay their taxes—an additional 38 days of work.

This May 17 date for a deficit-inclusive measure is the second latest since World War II. Only in 2009 was it later, when an unprecedented budget deficit of close to $1.5 trillion produced a deficit-inclusive date of May 21, fully 43 days later than Tax Freedom Day.

Tax Freedom Day in Recent Years

In 2000, Tax Freedom Day was celebrated May 1, the latest date ever. A string of tax cuts between 2001 and 2003 pushed Tax Freedom Day up by two weeks, so that it fell on April 14 in 2003 - at the time the second earliest Tax Freedom Day since the Johnson administration.

From 2003 through 2006, corporate income taxes rose rapidly along with rapidly growing corporate profits. Personal income tax receipts also rose sharply, starting in 2004. As a result, Tax Freedom Day was delayed, reaching April 24 in 2006.

Since 2007, stimulus tax cuts and a weakening economy have come together to push Tax Freedom Day earlier. Meanwhile, government spending has continued to grow (especially rapidly in 2009) resulting in the first ever 10-figure federal budget deficit.

Which Taxes Are the Biggest?

Five major categories of taxes dominate the tax burden. Individual income taxes—including federal, state and local—require 32 days' work. Payroll taxes take another 25 days' work. Sales and excise taxes, mostly state and local, take 15 days to pay off. Corporate income taxes take 8 days, and property taxes take 12. Americans will log 6 more days to pay other miscellaneous taxes, most notably including motor vehicle license taxes and severance taxes, and about half a day for estate taxes.

Tax Freedom Day by State

Each state has its own Tax Freedom Day. Because of modest incomes and low state and local tax burdens, Alaska and Louisiana celebrate Tax Freedom Day earliest on March 26, the 85th day of the year. Connecticut celebrates last on April 27, the 117th day of the year, because income per capita is higher than in any other state. High-income states pay much more in federal taxes, and they often have higher state-local taxes as well. Joining Connecticut in the latest celebrations are New Jersey (April 25), New York (April 23), Maryland (April 19) and Washington (April 15). Alaska and Louisiana are joined in early celebration by Mississippi (March 28), South Dakota (March 29) and West Virginia (March 30).

Ourcrazymodern? · 03-30-2010, 03:22 PM

Cool! I thought we didn't get it until the other inevitability.

uncle phil · 03-30-2010, 03:26 PM

glad i don't ever need to call the cops if someone breaks into my house, or buy extra tires and wheels when i hit an elephant trap in the middle of the highway, or buy extra locks for my house to keep the freakin' meth-heads out of my house - my own personal domain...

the point being, what does this mean?

Baraka_Guru · 03-30-2010, 03:32 PM

My "Tax Freedom Day" is June 3, or 153 days in.

My tax burden is $11,698.

I get a lot of cool shit for that.

MSD · 03-30-2010, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uncle phil

glad i don't ever need to call the cops if someone breaks into my house, or buy extra tires and wheels when i hit an elephant trap in the middle of the highway, or buy extra locks for my house to keep the freakin' meth-heads out of my house - my own personal domain...

the point being, what does this mean?

I approve of my tax dollars supporting most of our government programs, although I certainly would make some changes if I had the power. It's just another way to put your contribution to the big pot in perspective.

Tully Mars · 03-30-2010, 03:35 PM

I'm not even sure how to calculate mine. I pay taxes in Oregon, the US (Feds) and here in Mexico. If I take all my income then compute what percentages goes to every tax I come up with around May 13th. But I pay taxes on everything I purchase here in Mexico. Sales tax here is 16% to 37% on everything from food to your electric bill. Electronics and computers are the highest tax rate, I think.

Thrombatic Pyle · 03-30-2010, 03:43 PM

May sometime

dogzilla · 03-30-2010, 04:28 PM

By the map, Apr 23. I just completed my taxes. State and federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and property tax get me to Apr 21. Add in all the other taxes buried in the cost of everything and it's about June 1st.

dlish · 03-30-2010, 07:03 PM

mine's quite easy to work out...

EVERY DAY IS TAX FREE DAY!

yes thats right fellas... the money i earn is the money that stays in my own pocket. The luxuries of being an expat.

sadly, even expat americans pay tax on the income they recieve overseas when they go back home. maybe ya'll need to become australians or something.

genuinegirly · 03-30-2010, 07:14 PM

I'm too poor for taxes. They're giving everything back to me that they took from me this year.

ASU2003 · 03-30-2010, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baraka_Guru

My "Tax Freedom Day" is June 3, or 153 days in.

My tax burden is $11,698.

I get a lot of cool shit for that.

If I include my health/dental insurance premiums, home owners association fees, student loans, etc... My tax freedom day would be later in the year too.

And I don't pay more in taxes than food, clothing, and housing. Housing is the only one that is a large number. Last year it was $2800/food, $100 clothes/shoes, and $11,000 mortgage.

Charlatan · 03-31-2010, 01:04 AM

Mine is sometime in mid-February.

Tully Mars · 03-31-2010, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlish

mine's quite easy to work out...

EVERY DAY IS TAX FREE DAY!

yes thats right fellas... the money i earn is the money that stays in my own pocket. The luxuries of being an expat.

sadly, even expat americans pay tax on the income they recieve overseas when they go back home. maybe ya'll need to become australians or something.

Go home? You don't have to go home. The taxes must be paid every year just as if you lived in the US. Only difference is you get an automatic extension of a few months. If you owe money you start paying interest in June instead of April.

dlish · 03-31-2010, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tully Mars

Go home? You don't have to go home. The taxes must be paid every year just as if you lived in the US. Only difference is you get an automatic extension of a few months. If you owe money you start paying interest in June instead of April.

aren't I glad im not an american...

do you think this stops americans fromw orking abroad?

Tully Mars · 03-31-2010, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlish

aren't I glad im not an american...

do you think this stops americans fromw orking abroad?

Probably not, but it does increase the amount of work done "under the table." Actually here in Mexico it's difficult to obtain a work visa. Most expats have a standard visa that specifically state you're not allowed to work.

You are allowed to deduct all taxes paid in a foreign country from your federal tax. I tried that the first year and it didn't go so well. Even with receipts my accountant couldn't get them all approved. If I didn't use a debit or credit card my name wasn't on the receipt. So unless it's a big ticket item I don't even try now.

Thrombatic Pyle · 04-16-2010, 01:20 AM

Madness

03-30-2010, 03:22 PM	#2 (permalink)
Ourcrazymodern? still, wondering. Location: South Minneapolis, somewhere near the gorgeous gorge	Cool! I thought we didn't get it until the other inevitability. __________________ BE JUST AND FEAR NOT

03-30-2010, 03:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
uncle phil comfortably numb... Super Moderator Location: upstate	glad i don't ever need to call the cops if someone breaks into my house, or buy extra tires and wheels when i hit an elephant trap in the middle of the highway, or buy extra locks for my house to keep the freakin' meth-heads out of my house - my own personal domain... the point being, what does this mean? __________________ "We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done." - Robert S. McNamara ----------------------------------------- "We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches... We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles." - Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message" ----------------------------------------- never wrestle with a pig. you both get dirty; the pig likes it.

03-30-2010, 03:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
Baraka_Guru warrior bodhisattva Super Moderator Location: East-central Canada	My "Tax Freedom Day" is June 3, or 153 days in. My tax burden is $11,698. I get a lot of cool shit for that. __________________ Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing? —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

03-30-2010, 03:35 PM	#6 (permalink)
Tully Mars Living in a Warmer Insanity Super Moderator Location: Yucatan, Mexico	I'm not even sure how to calculate mine. I pay taxes in Oregon, the US (Feds) and here in Mexico. If I take all my income then compute what percentages goes to every tax I come up with around May 13th. But I pay taxes on everything I purchase here in Mexico. Sales tax here is 16% to 37% on everything from food to your electric bill. Electronics and computers are the highest tax rate, I think. __________________ I used to drink to drown my sorrows, but the damned things have learned how to swim- Frida Kahlo Vice President Starkizzer Fan Club

03-30-2010, 07:03 PM	#9 (permalink)
dlish Currently sour but formerly Dlishs Super Moderator Location: Australia/UAE	mine's quite easy to work out... EVERY DAY IS TAX FREE DAY! yes thats right fellas... the money i earn is the money that stays in my own pocket. The luxuries of being an expat. sadly, even expat americans pay tax on the income they recieve overseas when they go back home. maybe ya'll need to become australians or something. __________________ An injustice anywhere, is an injustice everywhere I always sign my facebook comments with ()()===========(}. Does that make me gay? - Filthy

03-30-2010, 03:43 PM	#7 (permalink)
Thrombatic Pyle Upright	May sometime

03-30-2010, 04:28 PM	#8 (permalink)
dogzilla Junkie Location: New York	By the map, Apr 23. I just completed my taxes. State and federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and property tax get me to Apr 21. Add in all the other taxes buried in the cost of everything and it's about June 1st.

03-30-2010, 07:14 PM	#10 (permalink)
genuinegirly Eat your vegetables Super Moderator Location: Arabidopsis-ville	I'm too poor for taxes. They're giving everything back to me that they took from me this year. __________________ "Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq "violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

03-31-2010, 01:04 AM	#12 (permalink)
Charlatan Getting it. Super Moderator Location: Lion City	Mine is sometime in mid-February. __________________ "My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke

04-16-2010, 01:20 AM	#16 (permalink)
Thrombatic Pyle Upright	Madness