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[Miles Quaritch]

41,4% for me. Germany. But this buys me social peace. Not affraid to go out at night alone, being robbed or stabbed. Nice transportaion system and infrastructure plus a working police force etc.

I would say its worth it.

I wish we had nice transportation, peace of mind and a working police force. Well, the last one isn't technically true, but they could be much better.

 

[Aiii]

you have free healthcare.

LOL! No we don't.

I still pay 156 dollars a month for healthcare. First 429 dollars of health care costs a year I have to pay. Dental isn't included either.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

Yes. I should have mentioned that last year I got about 2 grand back, yet I still can't shake the feeling that I'm getting ripped off every time I get paid.

Yeah, you need to fix your withholdings through your employer. And also look into education credits/deductions you may qualify for.

Hopefully you're at least using TurboTax or some other similar software to do your taxes. if you haven't in the past, you can also look into amending past returns in case you may be entitled to more money.

 

[apesh1t]

LOL! No we don't.

I still pay 156 dollars a month for healthcare. First 429 dollars of health care costs a year I have to pay. Dental isn't included either.

Thats actually pretty cheap, I was paying 344 a month. Do you have co pays when you visit? How much is medicine? Dental included? lulz......

 

[Vilix]

Standard deduction is about $6k. That leaves $19k. 10% on the first $9k and 15% on the rest, you should be paying around $2,400 in taxes or about 12%, plus FICA, plus state tax. FICA is 7.65%, that's 19%. Depending on what state you live in, that's about right.

edit:



Oh. That's kind of completely your fault, then. Change your withholdings and stop loaning money to the government. They won't mind.

And start putting it into a 401K on a pre tax basis.

 

[RSP]

I pay about 35% of my salary to the government, before I even GET my money.

 

[Razorskin]

I probably pay about 40% when it's all said and done. (Quebec)

 

[lilltias]

Sweden here. About 33% on my salary. guess you can spin it a bit and call it 70% like in that article though. I am cool about it. It helps less fortunate people to have a decent life. Also free health care, education and other good stuff.

 

[iFootball]

So... my TurboTax return says that during 2012 my "Effective Tax Rate" : 3.68%... does that sound good?

(In the US, Married, only one spouse working, 2 kids, Homeowner)

 

[bill0527]

I'm 26 years old, single, no kids, make about $25K a year, and I'm a student.

Is this normal?

Just wait until you actually own something.

If you find yourself at middle age, own a house, one or two vehicles, maybe some investments... Sit down one day and count all the different taxes you pay. Its mind boggling.

 

[Pagusas]

Just wait until you actually own something.

If you find yourself at middle age, own a house, one or two vehicles, maybe some investments... Sit down one day and count all the different taxes you pay. Its mind boggling.

amen I'm paying $3500 a year just in property taxes. And OP your paying out about the right amount, as others have suggested change your w4 to pull in more at the paycheck and smaller returns.

I make a little over 50k a year now and file 4 and 4 on my federal, which results in about a $5 return at the end of the year (4 is too high for most people, I just have a mortgage interest tax credit that gives me an additional $2500 return every year, I choose to take that out of my paycheck rather then get one big check).

 

[Enron]

24%? I fucking WISH I paid 24%.

 

[dragonelite]

LOL! No we don't.

I still pay 156 dollars a month for healthcare. First 429 dollars of health care costs a year I have to pay. Dental isn't included either.

Our health care is getting lesser stuff each year its kinda sad..

 

[jett]

The price of freedom

Freedom isn't free.

 

[chickdigger802]

23 years old, single. Make $30/hr as a contractor so $1200 a week. Get $870, so 27.5% taxes to assorted stuff. Atlanta GA.

70% for sweden? Math must be off somewhere, or that tax money comes back to you somehow significant like in healthcare or free beers on weekends.

 

[Frustrated_me]

I probably pay about 40% when it's all said and done. (Quebec)

I'm at 47% (Quebec)


But then I take that remaining 53% and purchase goods and services which are taxable. So how much tax are we really paying here?

 

[blade85]

I have to pay closer to 35-40%

 

[Various Artists]

You pay more than 24% my friend, you just don't notice it. (Sales tax, tax on gas, etc.
)

 

[Polari]

The amount you have left after taxes is a whole lot more than your whole salary would be if nobody paid any taxes.

Plus, you have a much better sense of security, more economic freedom, and less stress than you'd have in a society in which nobody paid taxes.

It is the government that prints and further provides the stability of the currency via which our economic transactions take place. It is the government that provides the roads, bridges, railways, and ports via which our resources traverse the country. It is the government that ensures the fair and standardized provision of utilities like water and electricity. It is the government that legally defines and enforces property rights via our police and military forces. It is the government that legally defines and enforces the concept of a corporation. It is the government that ensures that our workers receive at least some minimum standard of education. And so on and so forth. Taxation makes all this possible.

Imagine the state of the economy without all that. Imagine how poor you'd be.

Bingo. Fucking Libertarians make me want to vomit.

 

[entremet]

lol welcome to the working world. based on your salary something is wrong, though.

 

[Maiar_m]

Well, I get to pay 25% of my global earning (not benefits, earnings) as a freelancer, and I am also taxed by the state on these global earnings (so the number I paid 25% of already, not the smaller resulting number). I'm okay with that. A fair and productive society shouldn't be one of money-hungry selfish idiots who can't understand why they should share a damn thing in their lives. I'd rather not be able to buy a flashy car but be sure I can get good medical attention without having to be well-off.

 

[zoukka]

24% lol, my last wage got cut 40%. Welfare + freedom = expensive.

 

[Hari Seldon]

Christ I wish it was only 24%.

 

[krae_man]

Being single is the problem. Governments always give tax breaks to families. If you're single, you get like zero breaks.

 

[diffusionx]

Do you get a tax refund every April or whatever? Then you're not paying 24% to the government.

 

[Danj]

In a way I'm glad I don't live in a country where I have to deal with paying taxes myself, my employer deals with all of that so the tax money goes off before I even get it. It's probably a similar fraction for me too.

 

[Insane Metal]

Well in Brazil you pay up to 50%, so feel happy about it.

 

[slit]

I end up paying about 70 percent of my salary in taxes.

Ok, I knew taxes were high in Scandinavia, but I don't even know the point of working at that tax rate.

 

[pwack]

Yes. I should have mentioned that last year I got about 2 grand back, yet I still can't shake the feeling that I'm getting ripped off every time I get paid.

You can adjust your withholdings so they take out less per pay period. Just make sure you are accurate, or you'll end up with a tax bill next April.

 

[Violater]

I take home approx 69% of my pay after all deductions, health, life, 401k, taxes, sosec. etc.
But between rent and student loans 1/2 of that is already gone.
And I think that I see way too little of my pay.

 

[Christoff Yurievich]

I'm in the same boat if not worse. And I technically work for the government!

You're self-employed! Try selling that on your taxes next year.

 

[Waaghals]

Ok, I knew taxes were high in Scandinavia, but I don't even know the point of working at that tax rate.

In all likelyhood that includes VAT.

 

[ComputerMKII]

You drive on roads, don't you?

With this kind of argument you could even justify or defend North Korea. Just because you aren't given a choice doesn't mean that governments are legitimate.

If anything, it only proves what Frédéric Bastiat said: "The state is that great fiction by which everyone tries to live at the expense of everyone else."

 

[Armoured Priest]

Yeah, OP. Check your withholdings. I make about the same as you, and I only pay about 20%. Also, I usually get about $1000 or so back come tax return time, so its more like 16%. While state you live in will skew the total percentage a bit, you should probably be paying about what I do. Also, I think there may be a tax credit you can claim for currently being a student.

So... my TurboTax return says that during 2012 my "Effective Tax Rate" : 3.68%... does that sound good?

(In the US, Married, only one spouse working, 2 kids, Homeowner)

That helps you. The tax code for couple who are married is mucked up. If both spouses are working, you kind of get screwed on taxes. You're using it in the way that it was "intended," so you actually get the tax breaks you're supposed to.

 

[Armoured Priest]

Sorry. double post.

 

[jorma]

Ok, I knew taxes were high in Scandinavia, but I don't even know the point of working at that tax rate.

They include both VAT and the employer tax. The employer tax is based on employee salaries, but it's not really like it's our money being taxed. If they removed that tax, i'd still not see the money.

 

[kamspy]

You just loan them the money. With your income, you'll get most if not all of that back every February.

 

[CrankyJay]

You drive on roads, don't you?

That's what gas tax is for...not income tax.

 

[Omiee]

I'm 26 years old, single, no kids, make about $25K a year, and I'm a student.

Is this normal?

i wish i paid 24%.

im 24 years old make about 45000 euro a year and pay 42% =(

age has nothing to do with taxes here =(

 

[zero shift]

Schools, roads, politicians, police, fire department, social security, welfare, military, etc. all cost money. You want a significantly sized government than you need significantly sized taxes.

That's what gas tax is for...not income tax.

Its both. Gas is very subsidized in the USA IIRC.

23 years old, single. Make $30/hr as a contractor so $1200 a week. Get $870, so 27.5% taxes to assorted stuff. Atlanta GA.

70% for sweden? Math must be off somewhere, or that tax money comes back to you somehow significant like in healthcare or free beers on weekends.

Yes. A lot of stuff is "free" in Sweden because of that. Though a lot of that is cheaper than it would have been under privatized (think healthcare).

 

[UraMallas]

And start putting it into a 401K on a pre tax basis.

Why pre-tax, if I might ask? I put mine into a Roth 401k for dat tax free money when I'm old.

 

[Meadows]

I pay 15% in the UK.

Earn between £15-20k

 

[DJ_Lae]

24 sounds nice, I get about 32% whacked off my gross pay before I see a cent of it. But I suppose it could be higher, so I can't complain too much.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Checking last night, I paid 22% last year, before the refund. Which probably put it at around 19-20% effective tax rate. I think it's fair, perhaps even low given my income level.

 

[SUPREME1]

Yes. I should have mentioned that last year I got about 2 grand back, yet I still can't shake the feeling that I'm getting ripped off every time I get paid.

24% minus 16% (your tax return) = You paid 8%

IRS will be contacting you soon.

 

[The Horror the horror]

Money is an illusion. You don't earn anything and you don't own anything. You're borrowing everything of worth or significant value. When Ronald Reagan said:

"How do you tell a Communist?
Well, it's someone who reads Marx and Lenin.
And how do you tell an anti-Communist?
It's someone who understands Marx and Lenin."

He wasn't lying. What he truly meant to say was:

"How do you tell a Communist?
Well, it's someone who tells you you own nothing.
And how do you tell an anti-Communist?
It's someone who makes you believe you own something when you don't."

 

[Frank the Great]

what makes people think that if taxes went to zero, their take-home pay would increase? i never understood this, it makes no sense.

the taxed money was never "yours" so you never lost it. nor did the government "take" it from you.

 

[robertsan21]

I give 48% so dont complain!

 

[diffusionx]

I will say that here in the States it often seems that we aren't getting a lot for our money. Our safety net is meager, our roads are often crap, etc. Our Congress is beyond useless. Our health care system is a trash heap.

But we do have a huge worldwide military empire and that is not cheap to run.

 

[Flo_Evans]

24% is about right if you claim no deduction on your W4.

Have some kids!