this post was submitted on 25 May 2025
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It's always talked about in the media as if everyone cares, but I don't think I've ever heard a normal person complain.

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[–] mjhelto@lemm.ee 13 points 2 days ago

I'd care a hell of a lot less about the amount if it felt like it was being used for anything other than padding rich assholes pockets. I want my taxes to feed and help people, repair and maintain roads, and subsidies public transit. I guess I'm saying I want my money to help my community and the vulnerable, not sit in some rich fuckers bank account while a homeless settlement I drive by daily grows, tent by tent.

[–] tomjuggler@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

We have a saying in my country: there's no point in complaining because nobody listens. I mean we are all paying so what's the point of moaning about it

[–] apotheotic@beehaw.org 4 points 2 days ago

I was glad that when I started earning a lot more money, I was being taxed more on that higher portion of the earnings. In theory, this means that I am supporting more good things. I am disenfranchised, however, with the fact that clearly large corporations and the mega rich are not paying their fair share, and that often my tax pounds are being spent in direct opposition of my very existence (anti trans policy, reversal of climate policy, etc).

I care about taxes, a lot, but I don't care about being taxed a lot, as long as the heavy taxes I face are being used in a good way. If a small dip to my quality of life or excess earnings means that overall the quality of life in the country gets better, I'm super happy to see it.

[–] Raiderkev@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

The last 2 months I have cared a lot. I typically overpay my tax on purpose so the IRS gets an interest free loan and I get to save some money. I aim to change that soon so I just pay what I owe, and possibly don't get a refund in April. I don't want to give the regime a single penny more than I owe, and frankly if my state seceded and I didn't have to give them a dime, it would be preferred.

[–] comfy@lemmy.ml 14 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

I care more about where they are spent. My local government is spending it far better than my federal government. If it was half my income and was spent in ways that lower the cost of living and improve quality of life, then I'd have no problem with that.

If I get a tax cut, I think, cool, at least I choose where this money goes, because I actually do give some to non-profits that benefit society. Tax amounts are not something which determines how I vote, I gloss over it in the news, it's just incidental that the anti-worker parties want to raise my taxes and spend them in worse ways.

[–] innocentpixels@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

I think taxes are great, but the rich really need to pull their own weight. The new taxes just fuck over the poor/middle class

[–] sbv@sh.itjust.works 52 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I'm fine paying what I pay, but I reserve the right to question the quality of services they pay for.

[–] racketlauncher831@lemmy.ml 18 points 4 days ago

And no. A person who pays millions dollars of tax does not have a louder voice than I do. We are all the same tax payers who pay proportionally to our earnings.

Give me back the public infrastructure I need and the billionaires hate.

[–] frank@sopuli.xyz 26 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I pay quite a bit in Denmark, but used to live in the US.

I pay more taxes now (not THAT much more but definitely more). However I see what I get for my taxes here: healthcare, bicycle lanes, cheap and very good trains/metro/ferries/buses everywhere, etc., and sooo much support for people. It makes me proud to pay taxes here, even though of course I always want more in my pocket and I want more for my money.

In the US I hated the taxes because I paid more than rich people (as they pay nearly none) and I didn't feel like i got a lot from them.

No problem with taxes as a concept, but I hate how the US uses tax money

[–] evasive_chimpanzee@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

healthcare, bicycle lanes, cheap and very good trains/metro/ferries/buses everywhere

Danish healthcare is cheaper than US healthcare, and bicycles/public transit are also cheaper than the car centric US transportation infrastructure. If the US adopted socialized healthcare and sane transit, we'd pay less taxes not more.

[–] frank@sopuli.xyz 3 points 1 day ago

I agree, if the US also used their tax dollars as intelligently as the Danish government does as well.

Seems like a pipe dream, but I hope at least parts of the US become more modern in those ways in my lifetime

[–] Geodad@lemm.ee 18 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I care anytime some rich prick pays less than me.

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[–] jsomae@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 days ago

As for me, I would rather pay lower taxes and have everyone else pay higher taxes. I vote for higher taxes every time.

[–] That_Devil_Girl@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 days ago

I care a little bit. I work as a welder and am on the verge of completing a four year apprenticeship. My pay is going to shoot up, so I need to plan to save money for tax day.

Right now I have my employer taking an extra $15 out of each paycheck to give to the IRS. It used to be enough to receive a refund. But these past four years as my pay increased, that refund gets smaller and smaller.

I'm going to have to get my employer to take a bit more out of each paycheck. Tgat way I wont owe anything at the end of the year.

[–] dan1101@lemm.ee 28 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Property taxes bug me a lot. The tax has gone up over 10% each of the past 3 years. It's adding a lot to my mortgage.

Texas sucks. Everyone talks about how much it has a low cost of living and minimal taxes because there is not a state income tax, then the homeowners insurance rates go up or get cancelled and you can count on property taxes going up 10% annually. We bought our house in 2016 and the amount has gone up 10% every year since, not including the other bond issues which increase the tax rate on top of the existing rate.

[–] ArsonButCute@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 3 days ago

If it were being used responsibly I'd advocate for higher taxes, but here in the US taxation is theft.

[–] PTSDwarrior@lemmy.ml 10 points 3 days ago

Now more than ever, I don’t want to pay taxes except at the state level. If Medicare and social security will go the way of the dodo bird, why should I pay? If federal agencies that make this country a civilized country have been dismantled, why the fuck should I pay? If the military and security apparatus gets bigger yet we lose out on government services that actually benefit the people, why the fuck should I pay?

And I’m at the point where I will cut someone who tells me I HAVE to pay my taxes. Because the only thing keeping me from wilding out in real life and even on the internet is the threat of prison time.

[–] hyacin@lemmy.ml 6 points 3 days ago

I've heard many right wing folks complain, because in this country at least (Canada), the right LOVES to brain wash them into believing government should be smaller, socialism is bad, and high taxes are evil (even though when they get in they only give tax breaks to their rich friends).

I, one of seemingly few rational thinking humans left in this country, have always understood, believed, and told those people at every opportunity - "THAT IS WHAT PAYS FOR OUR SERVICES"

I remember before I deleted my FB account one tool on there complaining about an incoming 'digital services tax' (i.e. Netflix subs and such), and I quickly skim his wall or whatever, and he was collecting the "oh noes, I lost my job cause covid, please give me money government" benefit we had just like, a year prior - they SERIOUSLY just do not understand they very benefits and services they rely on and complain aren't big enough or good enough, ARE FUNDED BY THOSE DAMN TAXES.

As infuriating as all that is - it's even worse to see an entire half of our government fanning the flames of this idiocy, reinforcing it, and teaching them it is right!!

[–] 5in1k@lemm.ee 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Yes, the property taxes in my city are the highest legally allowed and the services we receive are dogshit.

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[–] normalexit@lemmy.world 9 points 3 days ago

Last year I owed 10k USD. I certainly cared then.

Overall I don't think about it until I do my taxes. That said, I'd happily pay more if everyone else got healthcare, good infrastructure, and a clean environment.

[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 13 points 3 days ago

Only when the administration is blatantly corrupt. I take pride in funding my share of society, but not when nutjobs are spending it.

[–] Greg@lemmy.ca 19 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I pay a lot in taxes because I earn a lot. I earn a lot because I work hard and I was lucky (had the right opportunities, enjoyed work that is well compensated by capitalism, etc). I don’t care paying high taxes

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[–] manxu@piefed.social 14 points 4 days ago (5 children)

If you get within earshot of a Republican, chances are you'll hear complaints about "damn taxes" within five minutes. So to a certain set of people, definitely everyone they talk to is constantly complaining about taxes.

When I was starting out and making little money, the taxes I paid were definitely cutting into my ability to live. I think instead of "standard deductions" we should have real minimum incomes. If you are under the minimum income for your location, you don't pay taxes.

Now that I am at the end of my career, I think it's stupid that my taxes are not higher. If I could have given young me some of the money I am keeping now, I would have had a much better life overall. I obviously can't do that now, but I can give someone else the same breathing room.

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[–] DJDarren@sopuli.xyz 6 points 3 days ago

As a kid I guess I did, because I was borderline libertarian and something of a prick. But these days I'm older and a little more aware of people who aren't me, so these days I don't think about it at all.

I would prefer if rich people paid more, but that has no real bearing on how much I pay.

[–] rumimevlevi@lemmings.world 12 points 4 days ago (2 children)

No , my problem is just about where it got spent

[–] Rai@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 3 days ago

WAR! WAR! WAR!

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[–] huquad@lemmy.ml 16 points 4 days ago

Depends on the tax. Progressive income tax? I don't care so much. Flatter taxes like sales, property, gas, etc, I care about more because it affects the people at the bottom disproportionately. We only need a progressive income tax AND accountability at the top end for people to pay in. Tired of billionaires getting off free with loop holes.

[–] ragebutt@lemmy.dbzer0.com 15 points 4 days ago (12 children)

I became more aware of how much tax I was paying when I became self employed because instead of paying a bit out of each check like a w2 worker I have to pay it in lump sums quarterly.

I run a low overhead medical practice so I don’t have a tax cheat llc, I take the standard deduction every year and as a result my taxes are pretty much the same as they ever were. Even though it’s roughly the same amount (slightly more actually, now that I cut out the overhead of medical systems stealing 30-60% of my labor) there’s something psychological about paying the amount in a lump sum

I think paying taxes is important and I want to do. However I feel conflicted about spending this money because what I feel paying taxes are important for are generally not what my tax dollars fund, and increasingly so. I want to pay and gladly will for community enrichment, better public schools, access to healthcare, infrastructure like roads, power lines, sewers, moving away from fossil fuels, better handling of trash and recycling programs, rehabilitation programs for criminal offenders, mental health programs including interim programs like community supports and mobile programs that exist in between outpatient and inpatient, social welfare programs that give people access to housing, food, electricity, etc

But instead my taxes pay for these things increasingly less. About 20% of my taxes go to military and defensive spending and while I do think some amount needs to go to this I think it’s absurd. Most countries spend 3-5% on defensive spending. Even China, the second highest after the US, spends 6%.

So I don’t resent paying taxes but I do resent how much when roughly 1/5th of that goes to defense contractors to launder billions from taxpayer and Israel for genocide. I also resent that my tax burden continually increases despite making roughly $60-70k a year while the services around me continually decrease.

[–] evasive_chimpanzee@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

So I don’t resent paying taxes but I do resent how much when roughly 1/5th of that goes to defense contractors

Don't forget to also resent how much money sneakily goes to defense contractors (or other megacorps) by way of every other government office. It depends on the agency, but the majority of the federal workforce is not US government employees, it's contractors, so taxpayer funds go to an army of middlemen before trickling down to the people doing the work. Taxpayers end up overpaying for labor, and the laborers make less money and with less job security than if that tax money just went directly to the worker.

[–] ragebutt@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 days ago

In addition to this I didn’t even touch upon the resentment towards stupid bullshit outside of defense

Like I like in Pennsylvania and the amount of tax dollars that are spent propping up fossil fuel industries. Like I want to spend money on developing energy infrastructure, of course. But I want that money to go into putting power lines underground (my power goes out every six weeks minimum and 2-3x a year for over 24hours, sometimes over 72), nuclear, solar, hydroelectric, etc

But what do I get? Fracking, propping up the coal industry, etc. fucking ridiculous.

Road quality decreases and yet no public transportation expansion. It’s garbage if you have a car and if you don’t it’s impossible if you’re outside of a city.

So that stuff too

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[–] Gismonda@lemmy.world 14 points 4 days ago

I only cared when I was poor and living paycheck to paycheck.

[–] thesohoriots@lemmy.world 13 points 4 days ago (2 children)

No (US). Those who loudly complain are generally conservatives who can’t understand how marginal tax rates and brackets work.

(smugly) I won't take that raise because my tax rate would go up. You're a sucker if you want to take that raise. You make more money by taking less money.

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[–] Someonelol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 4 days ago (3 children)

I pay roughly 30% of my gross income in th US. The only tangible benefit I get from it is the ability to drive on free roads on my way to work to earn more taxable income. I only wish my money didn't go to subsidize the rich and make bombs to blow kids up on the other side of the planet.

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[–] ChexMax@lemmy.world 7 points 3 days ago (2 children)

The only time I have ever cared is when I've gotten a bonus. The tax rate is much higher on a bonus. I'd much rather my company just pay me $25 more a week than a bonus in December.

[–] DarkDarkHouse@lemmy.sdf.org 7 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Tax isn't higher on a bonus. It's counted as taxable income like the rest.

Edit: Though you might live in a different country to me--I've heard some people do

[–] SmoothIsFast@lemmy.world 6 points 3 days ago

US tax rate isn't different on bonuses, but the withholding is.

The govt sees you getting paid a shit ton one month and thinks it's gonna be like that every month from now on so they keep a bunch of extra money so they can be sure you pay your taxes. Then at the end of tax season when you file, you get the extra back in your return.

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[–] Tomato666@lemmy.sdf.org 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

In the UK there is a crazy band between £100k and £125k where for each two pounds above £100k you lose one pound from your personal allowance (personal allowance is £12.5k).

The effective tax rate for this is 60% then it carries on at the regular 40%

Always has struck me as odd.

Never paid this rate myself because I don't get paid enough. Apparently it disincentives doctors from doing overtime.

[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 4 points 3 days ago

I recruit some people into this band. It always amazes me how much people care about whether they are paid £100k or £110k. The difference is about than £72 a week when they're already getting paid over £1,300 a week (after tax).

Ego.

Yes. But I don’t complain about it. I do complain about wealthier people and businesses don’t pay taxes like I do.

[–] deadbeef@lemmy.nz 10 points 4 days ago (2 children)

I have heard folks distantly related to me talk like the state tax rate was pretty damn important when selecting which part of the United States to move to.

They were the sort of people that would sit ( in their living room in New Zealand ) and watch fox news and go on the engineered logical and emotional weirdcoaster that sort of media offers up. This is some pretty niche viewing for folks in my country.

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[–] vfreire85@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 days ago

i never did really care about income and property taxes (including vehicle related taxes), even though they can be a pain in the *ss. i believe they're a fair share of contribution to society, at least in the capitalist context that we live in. but it bothers me product taxes, especially those levied upon non-processed or low-processed food, medicine, basic hygiene and cleaning, basic clothing and products not produced in your country when said country doesn't have an industrial policy to encourage the production of these items internally.

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