re: #68 wrenchwench

Dear Mr. Rumsfeld, the solution is actually easy.

Give all your money to the poor and follow Christ.

Oh, wait, you don’t want to live in poverty, and besides you don’t think that’s really what He meant. OK, try this.

The majority of the confusion of taxes is due to various loopholes created either to be ‘fair’ or to encourage or discourage certain behavior. To demonstrate your unwillingness to tolerate such complexity, submit a 1040 and claim nothing but standard deductions. Submit no schedules beyond those required for certain types of income such as investments; even there use the minimum without seeking loopholes.

I am aware that others will scoff at you for ‘overpaying’ taxes. On the other hand you will be content that you not only avoided not paying anything you might have owed but also completed your returns in an amazingly short period of time.

If, however, you wish to squeeze every penny you can from what you pay the government, using every possible loophole and opportunity available, then quit complaining about the complexity.

It’s really that simple: You can have ‘fair’ or you can have ‘easy’.