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From: esco@ssc-vax.UUCP (Michael Esco)
Newsgroups: net.taxes,net.singles,net.flame
Subject: Re: Marriage penalty
Message-ID: <445@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 21-Feb-85 21:26:16 EST
Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.445
Posted: Thu Feb 21 21:26:16 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 27-Feb-85 03:37:23 EST
References: <285@calmasd.UUCP> <429@ssc-vax.UUCP> <2490@tekig.UUCP>
Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA
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Xref: watmath net.taxes:723 net.singles:5963 net.flame:8527

> > There is no such thing as a marriage penalty. The penalty is against single
> > people, and has been for as long as I've been paying taxes.
> > 
> > 						Michael Esco
> > 						Boeing Aerospace
> 
> You say there is no marriage penalty, however, if I were just living
> with a friend, the total tax paid by the two would be less than if
> the two were married.  So what is the variable here? MARRIAGE!!
> 
> Dave Hayes
> Tektronix

Don't get me wrong folks, I'm not defending our (in the US) tax structure. But
most people in this country must like it or else it would be replaced. If people
want a progressive tax, they should be willing to live with it. I don't like
progressive taxes, but I like even less to hear people whine about how
unfair it is to *them*. I especially dislike hearing them say they want to
eliminate the "Marriage Penalty" by raising the single rate in relation to the
married one: don't penalize me for *really* being single.

I think the major sticking point in this debate is terminology. Should
unmarried couples living together be called (and taxed as) singles? Let's
call them posslq's (and tax them appropriately). Don't complain about a
marrige penalty-complain about the posslq loophole.

							Michael Esco
							Boeing Aerospace

PS- I believe the IRS looks upon divorces for tax purposes about the way the
INS views marriages of convenience.