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BS: Tax calculation help needed
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BS: Tax calculation help needed |
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Subject: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: Rapparee Date: 11 Sep 07 - 01:29 PM Nah, it's nothing like you think. Let me explain; and no, I'm not bitching about the hand I've been dealt. About a month ago the Veteran's Administration decided that I had a 10% service-connected disability: tinnitus. It was caused, as far as can be told, when a grenade simulator went off about a meter away from me (if it had been a grenade I wouldn't be writing this!). I have documneted hearing loss in both ears, but they don't do anything for the high ranges. But I am getting $115.00 (US) per month in disability payments. Of course, I don't enjoy music as I used to; I miss parts of conversations and songs; I can't tune my trumpet as accurately as before (and I certainly can't tune a guitar) or be certain I'm playing the right notes -- the quality of musical life has been considerably diminished. Anyway, at a family party this weekend I mentioned the disability judgement and the monthly check to a cousin-in-law. An electrical engineer, he makes pretty good money (and his wife is also a working electrical engineer). He exploded! "You mean my taxes are being used to give you a pension because you have ringing in your ears??" (It's not "ringing" -- it's more like a continuous single cricket note that is almost constantly present, and it's due to the destruction of inner-ear cilliae by extremely loud noise.) Of course, I also pay taxes. In fact, the $115/month is, as far as I know, taxable. Anyway, I'm quite annoyed and I want to return to him the money spent from his taxes. I have determined that the money I get is 0.0000072% of the total VA budget of $80.2 billion (for 2007) and I think that the VA budget is 2.86% of the total federal budget of $2.8 trillion. The question is: how much would I have to send him for a year's worth of reimbursement of his share of the taxes that pay for the disability premium? Or would I have to know how much he paid in federal taxes? I don't have a calculator that can deal with more than 12 digits. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: Jeri Date: 11 Sep 07 - 01:39 PM You'd have to know how much he paid in taxes. It would be easier to figure out what percent of each tax dollar was going into your payment for the year. I'm not much good at this, but someone will know. What I CAN tell you is that you do NOT have to pay taxes on VA disability payments. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: Peace Date: 11 Sep 07 - 01:39 PM I just did some calculations. Y'ever hear of 'pieces of eight'? Start with a penny. Cut it into about 750 pieces. Give him one. That will cover your debt to him for the next decade. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: Peace Date: 11 Sep 07 - 01:42 PM Also, Rapaire, I will gladly contribute a jar of Vaseline to make the insertion of the piece of penny easier for him. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: Big Mick Date: 11 Sep 07 - 01:54 PM I will bet money that this jackass didn't serve his country in any way. Not military service, not community service. Am I right? Mick |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: Rapparee Date: 11 Sep 07 - 02:19 PM True, Mick, true. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: Big Mick Date: 11 Sep 07 - 02:41 PM Biggest voices, most to say, least amount of committment to higher ideals. Reminds me of some here, and of the chicken hawks who run the show currently. I will bet this moron likes to parade his patriotism around and wear his "what this country is all about" badge right on his sleeve where every one can see it. Reminds me of a few weeks back when I was speaking with the Latino American citizens about the recent raids. A woman, and a man, both of whom were protesting on behalf of the Minutemen, were questioning my sense of patriotism. I asked them if they knew what a DD214 was. They did not. I explained to them that I had one, and that my patriotism, based on that, and about 30 years worth of community service, as well as working towards the betterment of society, took my patriotism out of the equation. Then I asked them about their service to our country in any form. Embarrassed silence, and finally the woman muttered something about fighting off these Mexicans being their service to the country. Mick |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: Wesley S Date: 11 Sep 07 - 03:03 PM Make a cassette tape that comes close to duplicating the sound you hear every day. Ask your cousin-in-law to listen to it for 48 hours straight. Then ask him if he still objects to your disability pay. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: Rapparee Date: 11 Sep 07 - 03:18 PM You can here the sound, or something close to it, here. Except that it doesn't end. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: artbrooks Date: 11 Sep 07 - 04:49 PM Can't do it, Rapaire. According to the Infernal Revenue Service, 133,251,000 individual tax returns (for 2006) were filed as of the middle of August. Your puny VA compensation is $1380 per year, or about four six-packs per week. Assuming that each taxpayer pays the same amount (which we know is not true), than his share is slightly more than 1/1000 of a cent. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: artbrooks Date: 11 Sep 07 - 04:50 PM BTW, he can have mine for the other ear. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: Wesley S Date: 11 Sep 07 - 05:00 PM So if we send the cousin-in-law a nickel will he shut up for five years? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: artbrooks Date: 11 Sep 07 - 05:09 PM Actually, if he gets a bent penny, he should shut up for the rest of the millennium! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: astro Date: 11 Sep 07 - 09:27 PM It does sound like an engineer (not to say all are like this), but there is a tendency to count money too tightly....regardless if it's owed or not...I had one friend who would decide that others paid too much tip when at a restaurant so would not pay all of their bill to reduce the tip...(oh, and not pay any tip themselves)...as I said, too much made about money... astro (an ex engineer and now a teacher) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: Rapparee Date: 11 Sep 07 - 11:14 PM I've decided to ignore him. I'll be civil, but no more than that. He's my wife's godson and he introduced me to the music of Stan Rogers, but he's changed a lot since then. Some things just aren't worth hassling over. And, perhaps someday, he'll understand. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: Peace Date: 11 Sep 07 - 11:18 PM OK, Rapaire. BUT, at least give him a penny for his thoughts . . . . |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: Peace Date: 11 Sep 07 - 11:18 PM Sorry--couldn't resist. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: Rapparee Date: 11 Sep 07 - 11:40 PM Yeah, I can do that. Good idea...I like it. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: astro Date: 12 Sep 07 - 12:04 AM Youth typically have very little judgement...it comes with experience. It's best to be forgiving...time will out... Astro |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: Rapparee Date: 12 Sep 07 - 12:22 AM Youth? The dude is in his middle forties! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: katlaughing Date: 12 Sep 07 - 01:00 AM Still young enough to think he knows the way the world works. You've got the right idea in ignoring him and his self-righteousness. I wouldn't even give him a penny; it'd just open up the debate more, as if you thought he had any validity to his argument. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Tax calculation help needed From: astro Date: 12 Sep 07 - 02:18 AM Some don't learn ever what's important...he sounds like one. Too bad, when the time comes when he needs help, I bet he'll demand his due...I would ignore him and not take the time to take him seriously, he's not. Astro |
