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[Azkanan]

So, this is how I feel at the moment. Slightly disgruntled and somewhat confused.

Here, in diagram A, you can see how my wage (aprox) should work out.



And here, in diagram B, you can see my bank statement, and what I have received per week.


(minimum wage rose to £6.08 within the last couple of weeks, ergo the increased pay)



Surely Tax isn't £40+ a week?

[Azkanan]

http://www.i-resign.com/uk/financialcentre/tax_calculator_tool.asp?txtGrossSalary=12257.28&radAge=1&txtStudentLoan=0



Apparently, I'm OVERpaid, after Tax and National Insurance.

Case closed, I guess...

[MonkeyHead]

I lose almost 33% of my pretty handsome income as tax. This doesnt include VAT, road tax or anything else - just PAYE on my salary. We liv in a country that is heavily taxed. This I would have no issue with, if I felty I was getting good money from the state, but IMHO we arent.

[Strife26]

I don't pay any taxes right now, except a few dollars a month to the fair state of North Dakota. Interestingly enough, despite the fact that I'm a US Federal employee, I'd be taxed by the Federal Government if I wasn't deployed.


Yay social contract?

[Knight of Fools]

Is American Anger allowed, too?  We all speak English, right?

Britain has a pretty high minimum wage compared to the States, and getting more than that, even with some college and a high school degree, is difficult without experience in a particular field or having a job for a long time. (If you can find a job at all - I know I'm luckier than some.) On my income, I can't rent an apartment and eat at the same time, and they still want to tax me. Even if I do get it back in tax returns, couldn't I just, y'know, keep it? Getting to have my money back once a year seems kind of screwy to me... Luckily, I live with family, so I get free room and board. Otherwise I'd be a duck in a cyclone. A homeless duck.


I'm not too familiar with overseas tax systems, though. Do you get tax returns in good ol' Britain?

[Il Palazzo]

Britain has a pretty high minimum wage compared to the States, and getting more than that, even with some college and a high school degree, is difficult without experience in a particular field or having a job for a long time. (If you can find a job at all - I know I'm luckier than some.) On my income, I can't rent an apartment and eat at the same time, and they still want to tax me. Even if I do get it back in tax returns, couldn't I just, y'know, keep it? Getting to have my money back once a year seems kind of screwy to me... Luckily, I live with family, so I get free room and board. Otherwise I'd be a duck in a cyclone. A homeless duck.

I'm not too familiar with overseas tax systems, though. Do you get tax returns in good ol' Britain?

You do need to return your income declaration forms, as in every other country that taxes your income(i.e.the whole world). It's called "tax return" not because you get your taxes back(though you might), but because you return the filled-out forms.
Getting the money that you'd payed in taxes back depends on you being overtaxed, which usually means that you worked less than the standard 40h/week or took a break from being employed.

And I'm sure you're overreacting. Working the standard 40 hours per week at minimal wage is enough to rent a room in a shared house or flat, survive and still have a small allowance for luxuries like a night out or cinema*.

*Tested in Missouri, England and Poland.

[Eagleon]

And I'm sure you're overreacting. Working the standard 40 hours per week at minimal wage is enough to rent a room in a shared house or flat, survive and still have a small allowance for luxuries like a night out or cinema*.

If you're working minimum-wage, you might not be able to get the "standard" 40-hours a week, depending on what time of year it is, how many other employees you're competing for hours with, and what sort of business it is. I know there was one time where I've had 19 hours six weeks straight during the summer. 19*$7.50*4 = $590/mo, which would have ended me if I lived on my own. It's not really possible for me to get a second job, since the hours fluctuate so much and there would be no way to guarantee that I'd be able to show up for some shifts and a 3rd shift job would kill me for mornings. Luckily I have three other roommates with jobs, so rent + electric is split four ways, but not everyone can find so many trustworthy ones.

Even if I do get it back in tax returns, couldn't I just, y'know, keep it? Getting to have my money back once a year seems kind of screwy to me...

I'm in the same situation. What you can do is register with your employer as exempt for state and federal taxes. I never bothered because it really isn't much off each check, and it's something nice to look forward to during tax time (I know this is silly Sue me)

When you file with turbotax or similar, you'll figure out if you do actually owe money - right now your employer is sending it off to make things simpler for you, but in reality anyone with any amount of income can send what taxes they owe at the end of the year instead, provided they're willing to do the math and figure out the forms/have software do it for them.

[Blood-Dwarf]

here in germany they take around 45% for taxes, health insurance and savings for pension from our wage and everything you buy has 19% value added tax. sucks pretty hard if you just get 1000 euros.

[Zrk2]

here in germany they take around 45% for taxes, health insurance and savings for pension from our wage and everything you buy has 19% value added tax. sucks pretty hard if you just get 1000 euros.

So that's how they plan to pay for phasing out the nukes? Hot damn, taxes aren't even that high here in Canada.

[Azkanan]

here in germany they take around 45% for taxes, health insurance and savings for pension from our wage and everything you buy has 19% value added tax. sucks pretty hard if you just get 1000 euros.

Ah, so that's why Germany is one of the last to get pulled into the Economy Downspiral. Sneaky Jerries.


In other news...
IN SOVIET RUSSIA, TAXES PAY YOU.

Fuck yes.

[Ultimuh]

If only getting money was as easy as in the Sims series.
Then again, we would live much shorter lives then..

Hmm.. more money or longer life.. 

[Bdthemag]

If only getting money was as easy as in the Sims series.
Then again, we would live much shorter lives then..

Hmm.. more money or longer life.. 

I'd never go swimming again, NEVER.

[Knight of Fools]

And I'm sure you're overreacting. Working the standard 40 hours per week at minimal wage is enough to rent a room in a shared house or flat, survive and still have a small allowance for luxuries like a night out or cinema.

Not trying to start a pity party, but I'm lucky if I get 25 hours a week. Apartments in the area aren't cheap either, because prices are bloated by the nearby military base... You'd think soldiers would want to take advantage of on-post housing, but enough of them live off the post to fuddle the prices a bit. Land owners raise the prices of decent apartments to cater to the soldiers who earn more and earn it consistently. The ironic thing is that the entire town depends on the military base for its economy - If you don't work in a retail store, a restaurant, or a used car lot, you're probably a divorce lawyer. It's an interesting town.

In retrospect, I'm in a better situation than a lot of my friends in the area. They're in the same boat as me (Going to college, living with parents), just without the job part. I'd rather be lucky enough to study full time without the job, but college tuition doesn't grow on trees.

I'd never go swimming again, NEVER.

I'd actually be motivated to pick up gardening, fishing, and cooking. Ambrosia for life!!

[MonkeyHead]

here in germany they take around 45% for taxes, health insurance and savings for pension from our wage and everything you buy has 19% value added tax. sucks pretty hard if you just get 1000 euros.

Same here in the UK.... the 35% PAYE tax would jump to about 45 to 50% if I included national insurance (NHS bill basically), pension (where what I get at the end will resemble nothing like what I put in, even after working for longer and paying more than intended... thank you Conservative Government) and student loan... then add in about 50% on Petrol, Road Taxes, Local Governmet taxes, and I am one pissed off rat race runner.

[Rooster]

*Tested in Missouri, England and Poland.

How the hell would you test that in Missouri? I know that we're both polish, and that it's highly plausible to get a job in England, but Missouri?