Happy Tax Freedom Day 2005

Every year you pay a hell of a lot of tax.

If you had to pay the government your annual contribution up front each year, you would pay ALL of your income for January to the government. And all of your income for February. And all of your income for March. And some of your income for April.

An American on average wages would finished paying their 2005 tax bill on April 17 this year.

Unfortunately, I have the misfortune of living in high-tax Britain. Here the average person has to work another month and a half for the government.

THAT'S ALMOST FIVE MONTHS OF BEING THE GOVERNMENT'S SLAVE, EVERY YEAR.

Frankly, if the government stopped running up huge debts, Tax Freedom Day would be even later: June 7! If you add in the costs of going to work for those five months, and other work-related expenses, it becomes clear that half the life of us Brits is spent working for the government. Over a working life, that's 20 years of going to work, not for yourself, but for the government.

So next time you hear about the wonderfully generous plans of your government and of opposition politicians, just remember who'll be picking up the tab.

And if you're living in America, appreciate the extra month and a half of salary you'll get to keep in comparison to us Brits.

Does anyone have a spare Green Card?

Comments

[Gihan Marasingha]

As I'm still an indigent student, I pay no tax whatsoever (apart from VAT), and even as a junior academic, I'd only be slaving away till the end of Febrary.

Karim, being an IT guru must pay well if you're giving five months worth of your wages to the Exchequer!

I hope all is well with you otherwise; send me an email if you read this post.

[Karim Bakhtiar]

Hi Gihan,

> I pay no [direct] tax whatsoever <

Oh, rub it in, why don't you ;-P

The 5 months figure is not my personal 'tax freedom day', but the one for the average UK taxpayer. It includes income tax, national insurance, VAT, excise duties, related employers national insurance contributions, and all other taxes.

I would calculate my personal tax freedom day, but i) the Maths is beyond me ii) I'm far too lazy.

I had better go to bed now, as it's 1.25am and I've got to go to work tomorrow to help pay the taxes that fund all those ex-Imperial Students getting their PhDs. Bloody students, etc, etc...

[UK Voter]

It never ceases to amaze me how the government keeps telling different sections of the community how they are going to provide them with financial support, grants or teax credits. They do so as if it were their own money instead of ours. We all need to be reminded occasionally, that they are only handing back some of the money that they extracted from us in the first place. Lest we all forget, paying tax is mandatory, not optional (unless of course you are very rich) and if the government want more money to waste on more silly projects, initiatives or consultants, they just take it!