I have paying federal taxes for 41 years

[SmileyRose]

And every time they simplify the tax code to supposedly help me and mine ends up resulting less income PLUS higher taxes for me

[Rincewind]

1. Yes .that's been

my experience too.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. The tax code is in dire need of simplification

I really don't care if that would destroy the livelihood of high end accountants, tax lawyers, and bankers in the Cayman Islands.

[LovePeacock]

3. Yep. It's like the guy who ran the guillotine. Some people just need to get a different line of work

[SmileyRose]

4. Maybe so but

They simplified the tax code and told everyone how much better off we'd be in the 1980's and next thing you know us folks in the bottom half can't get any sort of raise no matter how hard we work - have spent the last 30 years losing ground just on income alone and yet the total percentage of my income going to taxes keeps going up.

The Bush syndicate played with taxes and sho-nuff before you know it I'm told I get to keep my job (yeah!) with a 30% pay cut and sho-nuff the percentage of my income that goes to taxes has gone up.

I make WELL below the median. And I can tell you when they eventually "simplify" the tax code yet again the top 5% will once again make out like bandits and I'll be wondering which is the best kind of cardboard to stuff in my shoes to plug the hole.