When I read today of 10,000+ cases examined (http://www.thejournal.ie/revenue-pension-tax-1242219-Dec2013/) I have to wonder if the windfall was due to 10,000+ people willfully avoiding tax, or it, in reality it was the labyrinthine nature of our personal tax system which gave rise to this work for Revenue,
Does it rock the boat too much to move from discussing issues to taking action so that the situation improve? What would it take for a movement to begin to, say, reform the tax code so that an average citizen who had passed their leaving cert could complete their tax return, say a Form 11, in under 2 hours, and without recourse to a tax adviser. For the sake of the example, the average person could have a PAYE job and a small part-time self-employed job, with savings in a few institutions. .......
So, the question is, HOW should a movement begin to rock the boat...and, secondly, is this boat worth rocking?
So, the question is, HOW should a movement begin to rock the boat...and, secondly, is this boat worth rocking?
The Irish system isn't too labyrinthe and is manifestly fair/simple compared to some of our international counterparts. You will have to cite examples and comparisons to make your point.
(At the end of the day, tax law is every Budget since the foundation of the State summarised in one place. When people kick-up i.e. as a result of cuts to OAPs, then things change)
Is that because Switzerland has low taxes?
At its simplest, the question of taxes surely comes down to: this is what I earned/possess this year, and this is what I spent to be able to earn it, so tell me what to pay in taxes.
Do you have any appreciation of how difficult it is to draft a tax code that is covers most of the basis, while remaining fair and reasonable to all...
Surely allowances are simpler, and should be part of the reform. If you have a sales rep on the road 5 days a week, surely it is easier to have a fixed lunch allowance of €10 per day, rather than to be collecting receipts and taking away the pint of beer that he bought with his own money but is on the same receipt etc.Next there are no allowances, everything must be supported by documentation:
- Travel to work
- Lunch costs at work
- Business expenses
- Insurances etc....
Does it rock the boat too much to move from discussing issues to taking action so that the situation improve? What would it take for a movement to begin to, say, reform the tax code so that an average citizen who had passed their leaving cert could complete their tax return, say a Form 11, in under 2 hours, and without recourse to a tax adviser. For the sake of the example, the average person could have a PAYE job and a small part-time self-employed job, with savings in a few institutions. The Minister for Justice is attempting to codify legislation so that all the historic stuff since and prior to the foundation of the State is current and aligned. Why then is the tax system not being examined? When I read today of 10,000+ cases examined (http://www.thejournal.ie/revenue-pension-tax-1242219-Dec2013/) I have to wonder if the windfall was due to 10,000+ people willfully avoiding tax, or it, in reality it was the labyrinthine nature of our personal tax system which gave rise to this work for Revenue, work which would not be there were the system made clear, simple, and understandable.
So, the question is, HOW should a movement begin to rock the boat...and, secondly, is this boat worth rocking?
Surely allowances are simpler, and should be part of the reform. If you have a sales rep on the road 5 days a week, surely it is easier to have a fixed lunch allowance of €10 per day, rather than to be collecting receipts and taking away the pint of beer that he bought with his own money but is on the same receipt etc.
This touches into a broader issue of simplification of public services, which goes way beyond the tax code. The new UK website https://www.gov.uk/ has done a great job of simplifying access to public services, using Plain English. They are doing a few transactions through that site also, taking a similar approach. I understand they are working on integration UK tax and social services in the same way.
If public bodies would just commit to using Plain English on all correspondence and websites, that would be a huge step in the right direction.
Yes, I'm aware of that. Jim's suggestion seemed to be a retrograde step to me, which is why I queried it.In fact we already have what you suggest in Ireland. (In fact, we have two sytems to make it easier on such sales reps - one of an actual amount with a limit, and the other for actual costs incurred.)
Any examples?Domestically, there are plenty of plain Engish taxation resources.
I'm not clear on what additional visibility or transparency is required, beyond the current reporting of expenditure by public bodies?If this is the case then where is the visibility and transparency around the use of tax revenue?
I'm not clear on what additional visibility or transparency is required, beyond the current reporting of expenditure by public bodies?
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