taxes

[David]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., "Amy Z" <aiz24 at h...> wrote:
> Mary Ann started a riot by saying:
> 
> > Here in England, people who have to fill in their own tax forms 
are 
> > those who own their own businesses.  People like myself--domestic 
> > goddess with part-time job--and my husband--full-time postman--
have 
> > taxes automatically deducted from wages and any other income.  No 
> > paperwork needed. 
> 
> I am DYING to know how that works.  We have ours automatically 
> deducted from wages too, but there are so many exemptions and 
> additions, and things that didn't get taxed on their way in like 
tips 
> and interest, and things that get deducted like charitable 
donations, 
> that it is a major project to fill out your taxes (easier if you 
> don't own property or stocks or anything though).  > 
> Also, what do you do if you change jobs halfway through the fiscal 
> year?  

What Mary Ann said is an approximation.  Yes, if you stay with one 
employer it all happens fairly automatically.  But if you change 
jobs, hit a higher tax bracket, start to get income from shares, get 
a company car, etc. you have to do a tax return. 'Ordinary' people 
get randomly selected to do one too.  That said, there has been a lot 
of fuss over the years here with the result that the instructions for 
completing the form are mostly very clear and the forms are as simple 
as your circumstances allow.

All the above applies only to employees; my wife has recently 
registered with the Inland Revenue as self-employed so I expect to 
become an expert in this area too.

David, who thinks that if we didn't pay our taxes, people like 
Michelle wouldn't be there when our buildings burn down.