I have bad news and I have .. more bad news ...
Even though I am unemployed and have mounting debts for medical bills that I can't possibly afford, I learned today that I owe income taxes, according to the misnamed online tax program, FreeTaxUSA.com (which isn't free at all). In worlds other than this one where things are a little fairer, owing taxes would normally mean that I earned enough money in 2007 that I can afford to share a little with others instead of purchasing a plasma screen television, but unfortunately, this is not the case.
How the @#!*& did this happen? I am paid a pittance as an independent contractor for my writing by ScienceBlogs, that's how (not complaining, just sayin'). How much is a pittance? I didn't earn enough in all of 2007 to purchase a plasma screen TV, for example, nor did I even earn enough to qualify for the fabulously generous "income stimulus package" -- that rethuglican bribe gift of $300 to all Americans (except for us losers) who file their 2007 taxes -- yet I still earned enough to be required to pay self-employment taxes! Don't misunderstand me: I have no problem paying taxes if they are administered fairly and especially IF I can feed and house myself first!
But I should be philosophical about this: as American hero and corporate welfare whore, Leona Helmsley, once observed; "Only the little people pay taxes."
Leona Helmsley, Portrait of an American hero.
But all mocking aside, I am confused about this so-called income stimulus package. What is the purpose? If, for example, Bushie truly wanted to do something helpful for Americans, especially for lower income Americans as he professes, as well as for the economy, he should have instead taken that $300-gift-per-non-loser-American and applied it towards health insurance coverage for uninsured Americans! According to my recollection, there are roughly 47 million working Americans who can use some health insurance coverage right about now. But instead, Bushie is bribing upper-income Americans to equate "Rethuglicans" with (*cough*) "free" money -- just in time for the elections!
I hope that my humble contribution to the taxpayers' "Bullets for Iraqis" fund is appreciated. If I had my own tax money instead, I'd use it to buy a few jars of crunchy peanut butter and raspberry jelly, along with a few loaves of multiwheat bread.
- Log in to post comments
Ditto!! Couldn't have said it better myself - Thank You,Hedwig!!!
If you filed using a software tax package, you might consider having an enrolled agent (someone who has to pass tests sort of like Series 7 test in order to practice tax law and represent you in front of the IRS.)
The reason I suggest an expert is that it sounds like you might qualify for an Earned Income credit...which many of the tax programs don't look for.
Disclaimer: I am not an enrolled agent, but my mother is.
earned income credit?? hrm, i thought i had to have kids to qualify for that (which i don't have).
This just boggles my mind. Obviously you are way too honest for you own good. Only the honest people pay taxes.
Its a political situation. The democrats adopted the healthcare expansion as their own policy. This, in turn, means the republicans have to oppose it. Thus Bush has to oppose it, because if he strays at all from the party line it weakens the party and creates an opening for the democrats.
Its a recurring effect. One party does something, so the other does the opposite for no reason other than because they dont want to be like their opponents.
#2 has good advice-it's worth looking into the Earned Income Tax Credit. You don't have to have children to qualify, and the earned income/adjusted gross income cut-off is around $13,000.
I make a comfortable salary and have excellent benefits, and I wouldn't mind paying higher taxes, if I knew the money would go to worthwhile things: health care for everyone, social programs for the needy, biomedical research, environmental clean-up and conservation, education, etc. But I know most of it will go to kill or maim young Americans and Iraqi civilians in that obscene war overseas, so I'll use every tax break I can to get some of it back from the gummint. Then I can donate it to causes I want to support.
If you can get the federal EIC, it can provide a pretty substantial credit -- It wipes out my taxes entirely, and puts me a few thousand dollars negative even. It's nice not supporting the war any more than required.
Many states also have an EIC program, with requirements perhaps different from the fed.
Lastly, if you managed to put money (while trying to feed yourself) into retirement accounts, check out form 8880 "retirement contribution credit". The fed will match your contribution (at a percentage) -- but still it can be a help.
Good luck,
Kevin
People who qualify for EITC, as well as people who live on fixed incomes, struggle to make ends meet here in South Texas, which has a relatively inexpensive cost-of-living. I can't imagine how anyone who qualifies for EITC could afford to live in an expensive place like NYC.
After having outpatient surgery earlier this year, I can understand how health care costs bankrupt people who don't have coverage, though. My procedure was billed at over $15K, and I was in the hospital a total of 5 hours, and recovered at home with no need for physical therapy or post-op medications.
I thought it was a $600 bribe. I too like to pay taxes, leaving aside where it goes, because it means I've actually made money. I'm in my extremely late 50s, and have just enough quarters to qualify for SS, something like $280/mo when I am 62 1/2.
I too would suggest an enrolled agent if there's any way possible to swing it, but then there's the money thing. Good luck, rb