Should childless people be taxed to help families?

[the_bob_delusion]

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/should-childless-people-be-taxed-to-help-families/story-f...

"ARE childless Australians community-spirited enough to pay more taxes to enable people with kids to be taxed less, to help support them as they raise the next generation of taxpayers to keep the country going?

It is a controversial proposal, floated today in the US by one childless columnist who was raised by two extremely hardworking middle class parents who battled—as many Australian families do—to cover family costs.

To foster a fairer society and give those who are producing kids a little less excruciating financial pressure, he suggests that child-free people earning more than the median household income (in Australia $57,400 in 2011) should be taxed more heavily, and families should pay around $5000 a year less."

Are you for or against?

[the_great_she_elephant]

Just a thought.

An adult travelling from Bunbury to Perth on the Australind (train) pays $31. 20 for a ticket

about $2.80 of that is TAX (GST)

A child's ticket at $15.30 has a GST component of around $1.20

Therefore a mother travelling from Bunbury to Perth with 2 children pays almost twice as much in GST as her unencumbered sister.

[*elizabeths-mum*]

Gosh I'd love to put this a single friend and watch the fireworks! Her working life is already ruled by parents. She has to fit in around maternity leaves, she is continually denied leave in school holidays, if anyone has to work back, it is her because she doesn't have to get home to a family... I'd love to see her face when told she needs to pay more tax to help them out. 😄

[polksaladallie]

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

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Yes, $2 a month was a great help in raising my children.  It bordered on insulting rather than being a great help.

And parents did not receive child endowment for the first child until 1950 although children after the first were receiving it in 1941.  Oh, and the poor old employer was being hit with a payroll tax to fund that little luxury too, so the government and the taxpayer were not paying for it.

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QED

[ca04]

We all pay tax to fund things that do not benefit us directly,

or that we do not agree with, at least child support benefits us

all in the long run.

[ca04]

The person that ultimately pays the tax is the end user who has

not the relief of charging it on to someone or claiming it back.

If you are running a successful business then your customer

pays your tax.

[fourandsixpants]

replying to OP.

.....should only tax professional childless couples with a drug habit when they borrow other people's young children to go out busking

[the_hawk*]

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@polksaladallie wrote:

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@lind9650 wrote:

In todays time and age when even teenagers know all about contraceptives, no woman should have children if they can not afford them

Erica

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What about men?

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do men get pregnant now as well

[the_hawk*]

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@lurker17260 wrote:

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@lind9650 wrote:

It was tough at times, but we made do with a lot of things, and besides the morgage we did not owe a penny to anyone. We saved for things we wanted and paid with cash.

Today people want to have everything NOW. Maxing out the credit cards before they even get married, having lavish weddings and overseas honeymoons, then getting over their ears into debt with a huge morgage, because a smaller, older place would not do. No wonder people can not manage even if they have good paying jobs. They have not learned to budget and live within their means. Not many young people know how to make do with what they can afford.

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I just need to pull you up there a little there Erica.  That's a pretty sweeping generalisation you make.  Not all young people today are as you describe.

I have three sons in their mid to late 20's early thirties.

The eldest undertook a mature age apprentiship a few years ago so is a bit behind the play with regard to property etc.  He lives with his girlfriend in her house which she has a mortage on.  They are saving hard to have an overseas holiday later this year which will all be paid for in advance - not on credit.  As far as I'm aware I don't think they even have a credit card between them.

The second lives on the smell of an oily rag (although to be fair I think that suits his personal style - he's an artist), even though he is a third share owner in a successful business.  He has no other debt than is needed in the operation of the business, and is now undertaking further study in his particular field of interest.

The youngest got married late last year.  He and his now wife saved and worked incredibly hard to pay for their wedding.  They budgeted extremely well and put on a fantastic "do", all be it with a little help from both sets of parents.  They have a half share in an investment property, with her mother, and are now building their own home.  They would like to start a family but are putting it off until the house is settled and they can afford it.

I don't tell you these things to boast about how great my kids are.  In fact they nothing unusual amongst their sets of friends.  They are all just trying to get ahead and I don't think they are living beyond their means.  I think it's a bit unfair to paint all young people as wasteful spend thriths who can't budget.  They can and do.

End of Lurkers sermon

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sounds like they are educated in finances and should suceed in life, unlike most that are burried in debt and struggle their whole lives 

[lurker17260]

But that's my point hawke. I don't think they are anything special (well, that's not true - of course they're special, they're my kids 🙂 )
I believe that young people today are just as responsible as previous generations have been. Of course there are some who can't manage finances, but I don't think that's an entire generation. I just think we need to cut them some slack.

[polksaladallie]

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@the_hawk* wrote:

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@polksaladallie wrote:

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@lind9650 wrote:

In todays time and age when even teenagers know all about contraceptives, no woman should have children if they can not afford them

Erica

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What about men?

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do men get pregnant now as well

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While I do not use the ugly term "get pregnant", yes, they have babies.  

Perhaps you need a lesson in "the birds and the bees".