I'm aware it isn't April 15th. I always file for an extension. I paid my tax bill to the Government last night. I was in the driveway of my accountant at 6:30, signing papers on the steering wheel on the way to the Post Office. I got my returns in the box by the 7pm cut-off.In no way am I bragging about how much money I make. BUT - I pay more in taxes than most in this country make. I ALWAYS owe the Government money at the end of the year. Doing what I do means small checks from a variety of clients throughout the year. This throws my tax bill out of whack, and I end up paying through the nose.
Last night I attached a check to my return that would purchase outright - a pretty good car. It'd pay for a killer vacation or get me a couple giant LCD flat screen TV's. What I might have spent that money on is lost now, but what my Government will DO with that money is giving me a gag reflex.
I often work seven days a week to make that money. I've lost sleep since 1986 doing morning radio shows. I've shaken as many hands and kissed as many babies as any seasoned politician. This money was earned with blood, sweat & tears. I've neglected my family hundreds of times and regret it. My tax money has fallen into the hands of the largest legal money stealing scheme ever - our Government.
Who'll get my money? Politicians will steal it. Bribes will be made. Able-bodied people asleep while I work - will get parts of it. Stupid people. Lazy people. Corrupt people. Sure, some good will come from my donation to the public trough. My money combined with money stolen from you too - will build a road or two. A school or two will be built. A bridge might be made safer. Someone more needy than I - may receive a deserved hand-out. But, by and large, the check I wrote last night will be squandered. We both know it.
I live in a city full of State workers. Many occupy positions that are legitimately necessary. But, every citizen of this city knows someone on the State payroll with a job that isn't necessary. A job they got because they knew someone - a job that just takes up space and pays extremely well. I know this is where some of my tax money flows. Illinois is broke because of out of control spending. Maybe we shouldn't be so quick to write that check.
Like lemmings we pay our taxes with no real accounting of where the money goes. After all these years, I just want to be on the receiving end of some of that cash - instead of financing the mess.
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AMPA (AP) — Movie actor Wesley Snipes was indicted Tuesday on eight counts of tax fraud accusing him of trying to cheat the government of $12 million in false refund claims.
Snipes, 44, also failed to file tax returns for six years, according to an indictment unsealed in Tampa
Federal prosecutors said that Snipes fraudulently claimed refunds totaling nearly $12 million in 1996 and 1997 on income taxes already paid. The indictment also charged him with failure to file returns between 1999 and 2004.
According to the indictment, Snipes had his taxes prepared by accountants with a history of filing false returns to reap payments for their clients. As part of the deal, the indictment alleges, the firm, American Rights Litigators, would receive 20% of refunds from clients.
Snipes faces a maximum of 16 years in prison.
I'm in the tax biz. If everybody had to write out a check for their income tax and self-employment tax, instead of having a chunk withheld from each employee paycheck, there would be riots in the streets. People who are employees have no idea how much they pay in taxes. Ask them what their refund was last year, and they'll hit it right on. Ask them what their tax liability was, and they have no idea. It doesn't stop them from running around screaming about how we should raise taxes though.
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