Singles are subsidising the lives of marrieds because of tax anomalies: Discuss

Re: Singles subsidising married - discuss

huskerdu said:

Also, my children will be paying taxes to pay for your pension and medical card in 20/30/40 years time.

Click to expand...

My taxes might be paying your childrens prison accomodation costs for the next 20/30/40 years!! They could also grow up to be welfare spongers. No offence.

Re: Singles subsidising married - discuss

Sunny said:

My taxes might be paying your childrens prison accomodation costs for the next 20/30/40 years!! They could also grow up to be welfare spongers. No offence.

Click to expand...

Absolutely, might happen. But someones kids will be paying for it. Thats why complaining that our society supports children is pointless.

It actually helps illustrate the point I am trying to make. Lots of us are net contributors to the cost of running our society and its
easy to point the finger at a group that aren't and feel it is unfair.

Anything could happen, tomorrow, or at any time in the future which could turn me, my family or you, into someone who gets services which cost our society. You might be thankful for the services that our taxes pay for then.

I will always complain when I feel that my taxes are badly used,but not the general principle that they should be used to help society, not just me.

Re: Singles subsidising married - discuss

huskerdu said:

I will always complain when I feel that my taxes are badly used,but not the general principle that they should be used to help society, not just me.

Click to expand...

Absolutley agree.

Re: Singles subsidising married - discuss

Also, my children will be paying taxes to pay for your pension and medical card in 20/30/40 years time.

Click to expand...

If only.
The unfortunate situation is that they'll probably be paying back the national debt and NAMA in 20/30/40 years time.
I have my doubts there will be any state pension or medical cards available for me when (or if) I retire.

Re: Singles subsidising married - discuss

Single peope do subsidise married people but decades later the sprogs of those same married people will subsidise the single people - by contributing the taxes that pay their (and our) pensions. So, lets hear it for the Singles!

Re: Singles subsidising married - discuss

Chocks away said:

Single peope do subsidise married people but decades later the sprogs of those same married people will subsidise the single people - by contributing the taxes that pay their (and our) pensions. So, lets hear it for the Singles!

Click to expand...

There is a fundamental flaw in what you have said, which I have pointed out a few posts ago.

What about the sprogs of single people, will they not be contributing taxes also. The tax advantages of marriage extend to all married people regardless of whether they are supporting children.

The tax system favours married people, not people with children.

To repeat myself, if you believe that our tax system should favour those with children, then marriage should have nothing to do with it.

In lots of different ways, children in Ireland are treated differently in law if their parents are married.

Oops! I had assumed (wrongly) that the gist of the piece was singles (with no offspring) and marrieds (with offspring). Yes, you are quite right huskerdu. But life is not a level playing field. Single people who chose to have kids outside this tax arrangement should also know this.

Chocks away said:

Single people who chose to have kids outside this tax arrangement should also know this.

Click to expand...

Again, the discussion is the tax anomalies between married people and single people. Children or no children is not a factor.

My issue is with the fact that you must be married to avail of this preferential tax position. However for almost all other financial matters with the state if you live together you are assessed as a couple.

To simplify my point... when it comes to paying money to the state you must be married to be jointly assessed but when it comes to the state paying money out then simply cohabiting requires you to be jointly assessed.