as previously mentioned, congress let the payroll tax holiday expire so the increase everyone sees is the expiration of those cuts.

the only taxes raised are on people making over $400,000 ($450,000 for married couples - very unfair) and there's the added joy of capital gains tax increases for anyone making over $200k ($250k for married - again unfair). Also, to defray the cost of medicare, there's an added medicare surcharge on all unearned income for this same group.

Originally posted by macman

Originally posted by leemachino


I am ok with paying 2% more in hopes that the benefits I have paid into for the past 20 years might still be around when I may need them.

You really think it will be around for you when you are ready for SS?

That is alot of money to pay for just "hope".

Its not that much money. I do believe it will be around when it comes time for me to collect. Unless the gov gives it to the bankers.
If congress would lift the cap so everyone pays the same % instead of the first 100k+ being taxed there wouldnt even be a need for the tax break to expire.
Dont blame Obama, call your congress man or woman. They let it expire.

Originally posted by jjkenobi
You are not alone my friend. You may feel that way since the media is in Obama's pocket. Taxes are up, health care premiums are WAY up, prices of everything has gone up (food, gas, etc). Unemployment is at record levels since Obama took office. National debt is WAY WAY up. We are in a hand-basket headed straight to you know where.

So government spending and unemployment were low during the G W Bush administration? Prices didnt go up eiher? Im not an Obama fan but he doesnt shoulder all the blame. Both parties and all three branches of gov share the burden. Yes even SCOTUS with their Citizens United ruling.

It is the Reverse Robinhood syndrome. Take from the poor and give to the rich. Politicians are getting filthy rich. The wealthy are getting wealthier. You can spin it any way you want to. That is the reality of unintended consequences. Though it may well be intentional in this case. I see people blaming Congress. The House has presented many bills to the Senate but the Senate refuses to even put them on the floor. Blame the senate, not the entire Congress.

Originally posted by jimmiec
It is the Reverse Robinhood syndrome. Take from the poor and give to the rich. Politicians are getting filthy rich. The wealthy are getting wealthier. You can spin it any way you want to. That is the reality of unintended consequences. Though it may well be intentional in this case. I see people blaming Congress. The House has presented many bills to the Senate but the Senate refuses to even put them on the floor. Blame the senate, not the entire Congress.

so, everyone who is employed or self-employed pays a higher payroll taxes, which are not income taxes, and this is, somehow, taking from the poor and giving to the rich? last I checked, medicare is not a rich only benefit. Same with social security.

The income tax rates for all have remained the same, except those making over $400,000. So, the rich are paying more in taxes and this, again, translates into the poor paying more to benefit the rich. Please explain.

folks making more than $200k are now paying more in capital gains tax (long term) and they are also paying additional medicare taxes on all unearned income (this includes pension distributrions which were already taxed for medicare). Please explain how the poor, who don't pay this surchage, are paying more to benefit the rich, who are paying this tax.

News Flash: That was a tax increase.

A "temporary tax holiday" that lasted more than a decade? I have bad news for you: Obama says this economic malaise is also "temporary." I guess we have 8 years to go???

It was only as temporary or as permanent at Congress sets it. They can call it temporary, although it was renewed twice (by republican congresses....). And Obama told congress he wouldn't sign on to any legislation that "renewed" the decade long holiday. So yes, it's HIS to own.

This just in: The money doesn't even go into social security.

There is no little drawer at the IRS with your social security number on it. Congress spends all the money they take in "in the name of" social security. If SS still exists when you retire (assuming you retire in the next six years), you will be paid out of the general funds of the government.

So it wasn't something that "expired," like a beloved pet that died of old age. Congress has it's hand in your wallet, and Obama told them to dig a little deeper.


This I believe: I am the best decision maker when it comes to how my money should be spent. Not the Kenyan, not the Lizards in the capitol. Me. I give to charity--charities that I have researched, and looked at their financial documents, and at which I have volunteered, where they really feed the hungry with the food they collect.

What will congress use my hard-earned money for, that matters more than feeding my family so we can at least eat the evening meal together? They will spend it on a bridge to nowhere, a treadmill for shrimp, Obama's golf outing with Tiger Woods, or a press junket for Biden to tell me that the only gun I need is a $7000 shotgun.

I want to vote for the party that gives ME opportunity. The one where I get to make my own choices, where I am respected as the most knowledgeable, or at least most interested, defender of my interests. I want the opportunity to spend my own money, instead of having those woodpeckers spend it for me.

If X is paying more in taxes then X's taxes went up.

Just wait until you have to pay for the illegal's obamacare.

This is really sickening and if America was half the home of the brave it thinks it is the streets would be on fire by now.

Originally posted by tovenar

News Flash: That was a tax increase.

A "temporary tax holiday" that lasted more than a decade? I have bad news for you: Obama says this economic malaise is also "temporary." I guess we have 8 years to go???

It was only as temporary or as permanent at Congress sets it. They can call it temporary, although it was renewed twice (by republican congresses....). And Obama told congress he wouldn't sign on to any legislation that "renewed" the decade long holiday. So yes, it's HIS to own.

This just in: The money doesn't even go into social security.

There is no little drawer at the IRS with your social security number on it. Congress spends all the money they take in "in the name of" social security. If SS still exists when you retire (assuming you retire in the next six years), you will be paid out of the general funds of the government.

So it wasn't something that "expired," like a beloved pet that died of old age. Congress has it's hand in your wallet, and Obama told them to dig a little deeper.


This I believe: I am the best decision maker when it comes to how my money should be spent. Not the Kenyan, not the Lizards in the capitol. Me. I give to charity--charities that I have researched, and looked at their financial documents, and at which I have volunteered, where they really feed the hungry with the food they collect.

What will congress use my hard-earned money for, that matters more than feeding my family so we can at least eat the evening meal together? They will spend it on a bridge to nowhere, a treadmill for shrimp, Obama's golf outing with Tiger Woods, or a press junket for Biden to tell me that the only gun I need is a $7000 shotgun.

I want to vote for the party that gives ME opportunity. The one where I get to make my own choices, where I am respected as the most knowledgeable, or at least most interested, defender of my interests. I want the opportunity to spend my own money, instead of having those woodpeckers spend it for me.

Those were the Bush tax cuts, not the payroll tax break that Obama implemented a few years ago.

Pharoah Obama? Seriously?

I'm no huge fan of the President, but you do realize that Congress votes on and passes laws, including tax laws, don't you? The POTUS merely signs them or vetoes them. Junior high civics dude.

Do you blame the gas station attendant for high gas prices as well as the "Great Twinkie Crisis"?

Originally posted by Crakeur


The tax rates are unfair in a variety of ways and bemoaning a 2% increase in medicare which is used to benefit everyone and is needed to cover medical costs for those that cannot afford independent insurance, seems a bit ridiculous.

.

Fine. Send me 2% of your paycheck from now on, and I 'promise' I'll use it to pay for a needy family's medical bills.. u2u me so I can tell you where to mail the check.

Maybe another 2% is nothing to you; if so, congratulations are in order. But we cannot afford the copay for our children's dental care. We have cut the cable TV, and cut the kids sports activities. When we have unexpected expenses, like the furnace going out, we sell stuff on craigslist to raise the funds to cover it. The last movie I took the kids to was "UP," and the last time I took my wife on a movie date, it was to see "Safe House."

We have already cut our expenses to the bone. We don't buy any processed food, but cook everything from scratch to save money here and there. My wife and I go without, and my kids go without. But it is "reasonable" in your eyes for us to pay even more to a bunch of #whales who will just waist the money. I get that.

Maybe you could pay my 2% FOR me, since another 2 bits in nothing to you??????

‎"We fought a Revolution against the King and the Parliament in Great Britain when taxes were at 3%. Now they want to take 40% from us. Do we work for the government, or does the government work for us?" ~ Judge Andrew Napolitano

Sounds like many of you are used to getting your money stolen from you and given to other countries or wasted on studying the sex life of a snail! Pathetic!

Here is what I've seen,
More money taken out of my check. Company heath insurance skyrocketed (Blue Cross ), and I had to drop my wife and 5 kids of my insurance plan. I am praying every day that my 14 year old son doesn't do something stupid and end up in the emergency room. Gas is over $4.00 a gal., My property value went down, but my property taxes went up.
My boss is talking about cutting everyone's hours to avoid having to offer any insurance at all. We already fired a whole shift of employees, about 50 total.
I knew this was coming though and prepared my family for hard times. We refinanced our mortgage to a lower interest rate and almost doubled our payments, almost half is applied straight to the principle. Everyone thought I was crazy for doing that but now my mortgage will be paid off in less than 5 years. Our 3 vehicles are all paid off, No credit card balances.

Like most reasonable people, I don't expect things to get any better for a long time. I have no love or confidence in any political party so I am not counting on any of them to do anything positive.
I am not rich materially, but I am rich in other ways. I have a large and close extended family that I can always count on if necessary.
Bush was a liar, Obama is a liar, and the whole Congress are less than worthless in my opinion.

Sorry for the rant but this tread struck a nerve.

Originally posted by leemachino

Originally posted by macman

Originally posted by leemachino


I am ok with paying 2% more in hopes that the benefits I have paid into for the past 20 years might still be around when I may need them.

You really think it will be around for you when you are ready for SS?

That is alot of money to pay for just "hope".

Its not that much money. I do believe it will be around when it comes time for me to collect. Unless the gov gives it to the bankers.
If congress would lift the cap so everyone pays the same % instead of the first 100k+ being taxed there wouldnt even be a need for the tax break to expire.
Dont blame Obama, call your congress man or woman. They let it expire.

Im 26 and been paying into SS for 8 years. I will not see SS check when im 65 years old. Its not going to happen. The people that pay into vs those who collect starts to invert by 2018. So by 2018 there will be more people collecting SS then paying in it. He’s a solution. I opt out, the government can keep the 8 years I’ve paid into it and I wave any future collections when I’m 65.

I feel I can invest my money better than any government agency.

Your problem is your “hoping” the government doesn’t give your money to bankers. I say stop giving the government your retirement money in the first place.

Even worse, and this is from the CBO, Medicares CASH drys up by 2016! thats 3 years from now! Still trust the government with your money? We are all paying into it and wont see a dime. Classic Ponzi scheme and no one is talking about it!

This year I must pay .157% to social security alone. That bill for me is $188,400. I'm pretty sure I'll never see that ssi in my lifetime. Hope it ends up going to a good cause I guess. :/