Why should the rich pay more tax than the poor?

[Zorro]

Why should the rich pay more tax than the poor?

I never really understood this.

Why should a lawyer pay 40% tax when someone on a lower wage pays only 25%?

It just does not seem very fair.

Some of you guys and gals on here are really quite knowledgeable, so I would be genuinely interested to hear you thoughts on how this is justified?

And all you bleeding heart lefties, before you jump on your high horses about taxing middle classes and upper classes, over privileged spoilt brats, use this example.

2 kids from the North East of England both attend the same school one works hard the other does not, one becomes a lawyer the other does not, one ends up on over ?100,000 a year through hard work and graft gets taxed 40% the other who now has a less well paid job pays 25% tax.

How is this fair?

[Ned]

It's not rocket science.

If you earn ?100 000 a year, your earnings after tax are still more than enough to live a nice comfortable life, therefore you pay a higher rate of tax because you can afford to.

[Zorro]

So Ned your justification for taxing the rich more than the poor is they can afford it.

Is this fair?

[Sarah Kelly]

Dont get me wrong as im a big believer in market forces,but i do like to come on here,chuck something into the mix and then watch from the sidelines!wink!, So ........I assume the same tax rate for all would be at the lower end,as obviously the poorest struggle to make ends meet enoiugh as it is...... So, what you have to work out is,with all the higher earners then paying less, HOW MUCH less money is then in the pot for Education,the Health Service,Policing and emergency services,etc etc etc.. I have never believed in taxing the rich to the hilt, but you need a certain level of taxation or who pays for all our grans hip replacements (unless you can afford to go private)...

[number 6]

Why should people on low wages pay more than people who can afford to pay more? This is what tories believe,because they have no time for low wage earners

[NeilUK]

On the face of it Zorro your example of two kids one works hard one doesn't does make the more tax for the rich seem unfair. Sadly in life it isn't always as simple as you make out.

Sometimes its just opportunity that makes one kid's future career go one way and another kid's go another. Family life may mean the child 2 has to take a job ealier and miss out on further education , maybe to look after sick parents for example.

So for the rest of his life should he/she be punished by paying the same tax on his/her low wage? Just because he/she didn't have the opportunity to further their education?

[RoddersUK]

I pay 40% tax.
I don't like paying ANY fucking tax, but, you've gotta earn it to pay it.
It still leaves me with enough to give me and my family a good living and as an old friend of mine once said, I aint afraid to spend a tenner when I need to.
I'm lucky I suppose, I have a good job because of my technical qualifications and experience. When I was a young man I earned peanuts and paid next to fuckall tax. I aint young anymore and now I am paid accordingly for my experience and knowledge. Paying ones dues is part of living in this extremely advanced country, contrary to what the doom and gloom merchants would have you believe.

[sparky]

Please correct me if wrong but I thought that the cap level for the employees National Insurance contributions of 11% is approximately the same as the income level when income tax increases from 25% to 40%.

Hence overall the tax increase is actually just 4%.

[Von Boy]

A good point this...

I like the Swiss way... and don't forget how they attract vast amounts of tax income by being fair... for example

A certain Mr Schumacher, 12 years ago was earning approx ?80 million a year... in the UK he would have paid around ?36 million in tax... BUT the Swiss looked at him as just a married man, two kids and did a tax deal of ?14 million a year... Its view was its best to get 14 mill than none at all which is what the UK always ends up with... it never attracts any large earners due to its unfair tax.

Just think how we could do with 14 mill coming in from some one who will not cost the state a penny!!!!

[David Johnson]

"I like the Swiss way... and don't forget how they attract vast amounts of tax income by being fair... "

This is a joke, right?

Switzerland, the tax avoiders paradise. The country that had a nice line in laundering Nazi money and stolen artworks. They would have stuck your grannie in one of their safety deposit boxes if it made some money.

The sooner a G20 decision is made to close down these tax avoidance/evasion/offshore loopholes the better.

THere's fairness for you, young man!

Cheers
D