An unjust tax that should never have been levied!!

An unjust tax that should never have been levied!!

When you tip you waitress at a restraint you may think this money goes to her/him but no; Not so~~~
Government taxes this tip giving him/her even less
This “tax” should be abolished!!

What say you?

I say the government can't tax what waiters make in take-home tips.

vincejohnson, as you feel that tips shouldn't be taxed, how is that different from salary wages being taxed?

Is it unjust to be taxed on any form of employment income, or is there something about tips that you feel makes it particularly unjust?

Tips are supposed to be above and beyond what a persons income is.

It is a gift for a job well done.

Well it used to be.

Now it is restaurant owners way of paying employess less than minimum wage. With tips sometimes making up the difference.

I think MANY of the tax laws are unreasonable.

I also don't recall the government asking my opinion.



Sorry, but this conversation is pointless.

Fee, fie, foe, fum. I smell a troll, and here he come.

Whenever I see one of these generic starting posts that seems calculated to start arguments, the first thing I look at is when the user joined the forum. Yup, it is always very recently.

It's a felony to not claim those tips in your tax filing to the federal government.

I personally find it very interesting to unpack a premise that starts with the idea that "x is unfair", especially when it has to do with finance...if you can move past that basic premise to articulate why and how it is unfair, you can get to thinking critically about 1. personal finances 2. minimum wage employment and tipping culture 3. why taxes exist 4. how as a taxpayer you do have a real, tangible investment in the decisions made in your community and country

Using a Socratic approach to topics that may seem trivial can really open up conversations.

Let me restate my earlier comment.


1. Many tax laws are unfair

2. The government isn't interested in my opinion about taxes

3. The government isn't interested in your opinion about taxes

4. The government IS interested that you shut up, pay your taxes, and pay them on time.

5. The government gets extremely upset if you don't pay your taxes, if you don't pay them on time, and if you attempt any method of avoidance beyond the normative legal deductions and loopholes.

6. The government has a great deal of power with which to foist all manners of entirely unpleasant retribution upon those with whom they are upset... after which they STILL don't want to hear your opinions.

7. Therefore, though this conversation may be enlightening to the participants, it isn't going to result in the slightest change to any unfair taxes.


: )

Tips are gifts. If we start taxing tips the next thing coming down the pike will be taxing Christmas gifts, hell they will tax funeral service expenses as well.

Gifts are absolutely taxable income under current federal law.

Look at the 1040 form you file taxes on. It says on it to list all salary, wages, and tips.

Exactly. Tips are compensation for services rendered and are taxable for income taxes and for FICA (Social Security). In drinking establishments, the compensation received can be a substantial portion of an employee's earnings. As such, taxing this income is as justifiable as taxing other forms of wages.