Understanding Tax

Tax is the way the government pays for things. This could be any number of things including their salaries. But, it is important for every citizen to know what taxes they pay and where the money goes. It is also important to be aware of tax increases and to vote based on your wishes as well. The government is there to serve us, but unless we actively participate, there is no way that we can complain that something is not fair. The tax laws are something that no individual likes to pay but in reality we like and need the services that taxes pay for. So, unless another solution is devised, you’ll be paying taxes your entire life.

A tax is an amount of money that is charged to an individual in order to pay for expenses. Let’s explain it like this. City tax is a tax that many cities require. This tax can be used to pay for the salaries of city workers such as government officials. But, it also pays for the salaries of firemen and police officers as well. It also pays for the salt that is put down on streets in the winter and the plow truck drivers as well. In some cities, it pays for waste collection and park maintenance as well. Do you want nice paved roads to drive on? Guess what pays for that to happen.

We also pay property tax. This is a tax that is put on owning a piece of land. For those who do not own anything, they do not pay for anything. This tax also pays for many of the same things as city tax. It also helps to pay for schools and other city institutions.

Then there is everyone’s favorite tax which is sales tax. This tax is put on the purchase of all sorts of goods. In some areas, food is not tax while in others it is. Sales tax is often a partial split between federal, state and county divisions. For the same reasons we listed, this tax goes to work for us as well.

The federal government gets a lot of their funds from income taxes. Sure, all areas of government dive into this field, but it is the federal government that gets the largest chunk out of your paycheck. But, you know, this pays for quite a bit of important aspects too. The entire government is funded this way, as is the military we have. Want to feel protected? Do we need agencies to regulate our lives as well? What about maintaining our boarders and upholding the law?

All of these aspects are important areas that we simply do not think about that we pay tax to. But, without them, where would we be?