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How do taxes work in YOUR country?

by seasoned
10 replies
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I am sincerely curious! WHAT can you do to pay taxes in YOUR country. HERE is the way it works in the US....

You MIGHT think that, if you have a question, you can simply call the IRS. You CAN,but they actually have a law saying that they are in NO way responsible for ANYTHING they tell you. If someone gives you bad enough advice, and you strictly adhere to it, you could literally end up in jail. Luckily, most, that get bad advice, simply lose money, or go bankrupt.

You MIGHT think you can ask an accountant but, again, nobody is perfect. The code is just TOO complex, and keeps changing!

If you should fail, in ANY way, they have like 3 years to decide if they will accept what you give them. If they don't, you must reply. This may be to make the payment, or explain why they are wrong.

If they don't like that answer, they may audit you, or demand payment. If they audit, they could go back seven years. If they THEN find something fishy, they can go back like 20 years.

HOPEFULLY, by this time, you settled, or got them to back off. If so, CONGRATULATIONS! If not, it is COURT time. If they lose, they may decide to take it to the next highest court. Until the US supreme court turns down the case, or judges on it, things continue, and you have to pay to continue. Even if you WIN, they may change that law for NEXT year! BTW if YOU lose, and take it to the next highest court, if the US supreme court decides not to hear it, the last loss stands,and you owe the money.

GOOD LUCK! How does it work in YOUR country?

Steve
  • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
    My experience is different.

    If you don't pay your taxes, you can just change your name (I've done that several times). When the IRS calls, I just say that "Claude is dead".

    That's worked for about 40 years.
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

      My experience is different.

      If you don't pay your taxes, you can just change your name (I've done that several times). When the IRS calls, I just say that "Claude is dead".

      That's worked for about 40 years.
      FUNNY! (SARC)

      I am trying to find out, and am serious. BTW they only questioned ME ONCE! I gave them a VERY generous settlement, though it was about 1% of what they were asking. They accepted it. They DID change the rules though! HOPEFULLY, now they won't have to pester INNOCENT people like me, like they did, because they were IDIOTS! They somehow thought it was OK to charge for money coming in without counting costs. Of course, I don't know how they will solve that with the likes of paypal. MY problem was with a broker, that even a 5yo should have been able to take care of. But the IRS didn't ask for cost basis, just for the payment.

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author MissTerraK
    Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

    How does it work in YOUR country?

    Steve
    Uhh, it doesn't.


    Terra
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  • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
    The ATO (Australian Tax Office) tries to send me a bill, but since I gave them Claude's address I've never had to pay anything.

    I understand a vacuum cleaner salesman in Ohio is in deep sh*t if he ever travels to Australia though.
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    • Profile picture of the author Karen Blundell
      here's what I do - I write off as many business expenses that I can - so that I pay less or none - but if you think your taxes are high or complicated - I dare you to come to Canada - truly - :p
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      • Profile picture of the author seasoned
        Originally Posted by Karen Blundell View Post

        here's what I do - I write off as many business expenses that I can - so that I pay less or none - but if you think your taxes are high or complicated - I dare you to come to Canada - truly - :p
        WHY? We have things that need various types of backups, minimums, maximums, fixed, percentage, AGI, tiers, time limits, rates and various criteria varied by time, various things based on structures of income entities and SIC codes, and laws that are so long and complex that you could probably spend your life trying to read them ONCE.

        ALSO, companies can get details to you at least as late as 46 days prior to your deadline. When you take into account how late it may take to get them to you, and problems YOU may have, that is kind of crazy. They don't necessarily match up to what YOU may think. In cases like employers, there are various things that may change the amounts.

        OH YEAH, it probably changes like EVERY year!

        So what does CANADA have that is so complex? Well, you don't even have 0.7T Your debt per citizen is abut one TENTH of ours!!!!!!! Debt to GDP is little more than a THIRD of ours! BTW, if there is any doubt, that puts canada's economy in a far BETTER state than the US.

        WOW, THIS cute site tells you what your share could buy. I think the amount per citizen is wrong. It doesn't match the debt clock for the US, though all else seems to match:

        CANADA Rolex 18k Gold Submariner Watch c$19,289 $17,583.1 USD
        US Studio flat In Pattaya Thailand $55,366

        I don't know what the average canadian makes, but the average american is about $44,000

        Steve
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        • Profile picture of the author Karen Blundell
          Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

          WHY? We have things that need various types of backups, minimums, maximums, fixed, percentage, AGI, tiers, time limits, rates and various criteria varied by time, various things based on structures of income entities and SIC codes, and laws that are so long and complex that you could probably spend your life trying to read them ONCE.

          ALSO, companies can get details to you at least as late as 46 days prior to your deadline. When you take into account how late it may take to get them to you, and problems YOU may have, that is kind of crazy. They don't necessarily match up to what YOU may think. In cases like employers, there are various things that may change the amounts.

          OH YEAH, it probably changes like EVERY year!

          So what does CANADA have that is so complex? Well, you don't even have 0.7T Your debt per citizen is abut one TENTH of ours!!!!!!! Debt to GDP is little more than a THIRD of ours! BTW, if there is any doubt, that puts canada's economy in a far BETTER state than the US.

          WOW, THIS cute site tells you what your share could buy. I think the amount per citizen is wrong. It doesn't match the debt clock for the US, though all else seems to match:

          CANADA Rolex 18k Gold Submariner Watch c$19,289 $17,583.1 USD
          US Studio flat In Pattaya Thailand $55,366

          I don't know what the average canadian makes, but the average american is about $44,000

          Steve

          hmmmm - I guess maybe it is worse for you - the tax laws here are not as complex perhaps - but I think we pay more in taxes - we certainly pay more for things like gas and groceries - and it's why many people living in my area of Ontario, travel to the US border towns to stock up on food and stuff -
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          • Profile picture of the author seasoned
            Originally Posted by Karen Blundell View Post

            hmmmm - I guess maybe it is worse for you - the tax laws here are not as complex perhaps - but I think we pay more in taxes - we certainly pay more for things like gas and groceries - and it's why many people living in my area of Ontario, travel to the US border towns to stock up on food and stuff -
            Yeah, I don't doubt you pay more. Some people HERE have paid THOUSANDS for accountants and tax lawyers in an attempt to find a combination that works for them that will lower taxes. It is THAT complex. And NOBODY knows what they are doing. Even the IRS says that they may be wrong and, if so, YOU are subject to any adverse outcome of their errors.

            Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author laurencewins
    I find it's pretty straight forward here in Australia. I keep my records in an excel spreadsheet and at the end of the financial year June 30th) I go through it with a fine tooth comb to make sure it's accurate for my accountant so when I see him, he only needs to spend about 15 minutes doing my tax return. I don't "earn" enough to pay tax on top of my disability pension anyway.
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by laurencewins View Post

      I find it's pretty straight forward here in Australia. I keep my records in an excel spreadsheet and at the end of the financial year June 30th) I go through it with a fine tooth comb to make sure it's accurate for my accountant so when I see him, he only needs to spend about 15 minutes doing my tax return. I don't "earn" enough to pay tax on top of my disability pension anyway.
      Yeah, they DO have some faster forms here also. The only people that use them are ones that don't make enough to go past the first level, or that don't know any better, or that just don't care.

      Maybe I should have said that were getting paid say $30,000USD worth or more through private sector organizations.

      Steve
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