How the heck are people so stupid?

[DallasApple]

Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you still have kids at home, and own your own business? Those are some hefty deductions.

We have no kids at home and are both employees, not business owners or independent contractors. So we pay much more in taxes on $100,000 than you and your family does.

I can't quit working just because my ENTIRE INCOME goes to paying our taxes - because even if I quit working, we still would have to pay over $20,000 in taxes - so my income does help offset that tax bill. If I didn't work to pay it, it would still have to be paid - by my husband alone.

Don't get me wrong - I'm very grateful that I have a husband who is such a hard worker and so good at what he does, and that he makes a very good income. I'm also grateful to live in the US, and I know that I have to pay taxes for that privilege.

I am just trying to shed light on the reality of the middle aged middle class in this country.

By the way - I don't know why this is, but BEFORE I turned in my revised W-4 the other day, my federal tax outtake was higher in January than it had been in 2009. So was my husband's - about $20 more out of our checks to federal taxes.

Did anyone else see that increase? Isn't that a (GASP!) tax increase??? Weren't we told that people making under $250,000 a year would not have a tax increase?

Check your January paystubs and compare the federal taxes to your last paystub in December 2009 and see if there's an increase.

One thing though..We pay full SS..we have no employer paying half for us.If you work for someone they pay 1/2 your ss burden.

And yes we have "heftly right offs"..But you have to understand ..we don't get $ for $ what our cost are returned.It adujst our taxable income to a lower bracket .

Lets put it this way ..Just for advertising(yellow pages) and a dedicated business line in the home office we spend 4,000 a year.Just for those two things.We dont get 4,000 off.Our income is adjusted down .That may save us $800 in taxes..We have still spent $3200 out out our income to run the business.

Oh nevermind..LOL!!! I love numbers and figuring out how to "pay less taxes" and Im sure you have more write offs than you are counting.If you dont then you should have less expenditures during the year therefore have more available income.

I will say 1,000 a month in child support is a pickle.I dont know how much money ya'll make but thats quite a bit..And the reason many people stay married untill kids are grown.Kids are EXPENSIVE ..but not a 1,000 x2 a month unless unusual circumstances.(I mean if you are talkign about one kid).is a LOT.Considerng I expect its 50/50 and the other parent spends 1,000 a month on one kid.Im sorry it doesnt cost 2,000 a month just to feed one mouth.

We have 2 kids at home yes..One is 14 and one is 20 ..We dont spend 4,000 a month providing for them(and them only).That would be 864,000 from birth to 18.

Love

Dallas

 

[DallasApple]

By the way, not really sure why this matters, but I drive a five year old car that I bought used. Our house is 2650 square feet and 40 years old. We take one vacation a year - for an average of five days - usually go to the beach within driving distance.

We're not living lavishly by any means - though we DO spend a lot of extra money on cat treats and dog bisquits, to avoid an uprising in our house.

LOL!!!(on the dog treats)

Where do ya'll go anyway? Galveston?

Love

Dallas

 

[Kathryn]

Dallas, just one thing before we get to the fun stuff - no, we don't have any more deductions than we take - we itemize everything. As employees rather than business owners or independent contractors, we have very few write offs outside of charitable donations, sales tax, and property taxes. We simply can't write off other expenses.

Believe me, I'm not complaining about your tax write offs - good for you and I want you to have even MORE - sole proprietorships and small businesses are the lifeblood of our country. I owned my own business for about 5 years and I know the risk and expenses involved. More power to ya!

Yes, the child support is a really large bill that's unavoidable for a lot of people. It can be up to 25% of your income - regardless of the amount of the income. No, it doesn't cost $1000 a month to feed and clothe a child who is already living in a home that belongs to a couple who would already be paying for the home and utilities, etc. But that's the breaks - no way around it, and my husband wouldn't dream of missing a payment.

Now as for the fun stuff - our favorite beach is South Padre! We also like Gulf Shores, AL - and then, my daughter lives in Virginia Beach, VA so we get our beach on whenever possible! Galveston was pretty nice too - till it got blown off the map again.

If we go to Gulf Shores, we get to stop in at New Orleans, so Gulf Shores usually gets my vote!

 

[DallasApple]

We also like Gulf Shores, AL -

YES MAM!!!!!!

FLORIBAMA!!!!

Thats where I grew up going as a child ..We went two years ago..I have family there !!!!(surrounding Pensecola area)..

The WHITE sands like snow..SOFT powdery white sands!!!!The DUNES!!!Oh the DUNES!!!

With the sea flowers...

When Im there I know Im at home..No matter how hot as hell it is.Get down by the water and you dont even sweat..

My uncle Marvin took back and forth there from Mobile to Pensecola with a load.He was a captain on those waters for 30 years..He dragged the barges..

YAY GULF SHORES!!!

Love

Dallas

 

[DallasApple]

Yes, the child support is a really large bill that's unavoidable for a lot of people. It can be up to 25% of your income - regardless of the amount of the income. No, it doesn't cost $1000 a month to feed and clothe a child who is already living in a home that belongs to a couple who would already be paying for the home and utilities, etc. But that's the breaks - no way around it, and my husband wouldn't dream of missing a payment.

Here is what Im saying..If one parent has to pay $1,000 then that must mean the other is paying $1000 ..that woudl mean the child needs TWO THOUSAND a month.

That is RIDICULOUS!

Love

Dallas